Cousins, O’Connell preview Vikings Week 13 clash w/ Jets

The Vikings seemed well-rested and far healthier as a group as they hit the practice field Wednesday ahead of Week 13’s upcoming clash with the New York Jets.

Click the video box on this page to watch midweek press conferences with Kirk Cousins and Kevin O’Connell

Both defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson and cornerback Akayleb Evans were full-go at Wednesday’s practice, both coming back from injuries.

Evans isn’t officially out of the NFL concussion protocol, but is close.

“He’s in kind of the final phase of it,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said at his midweek press availability. “It’s full-speed practice and then just making sure he gets a full day of work in, a padded practice, and see how he recovers and if we can move forward with him.”

O’Connell also said Wednesday tight end Ben Ellefson is coming off the injured list.

Offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw hasn’t re-joined practice, but hasn’t been ruled out for this week’s game.

“We want (Darrisaw) feeling great and at full capacity when he’s able to come back,” O’Connell said. “Not really putting a time table on him for either this week or beyond. We just want to make sure he’s good, and I think when the time’s right, we’ll have C.D. in there.”

Cornerback Cam Dantzler is eligible to come off the injured list next week, and seems to be tracking toward making that deadline.

“The medical team has been really trying to progress him off to the side and make sure he’s doing whatever he can to simulate different kinds of practice movements and in-game movements, so when we do activate him, the hope is that it’ll be an activation and he’ll be able to be out there with us the following Sunday,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell also confirmed Andrew Booth had knee surgery, ending his season.

“You can determine a lot off the pictures and MRIs and things, but ultimately it’s up to the doctor, the surgeon, when he’s able to get in there and really see percentage-wise what ultimately needs to be repaired versus just cleaned up,” O’Connell said.

“For the long-term future and his importance to us, we really wanted to make sure that it was just a pure medical decision. I know he was disappointed coming out of surgery, but the positive, bright side is he’ll be fully healthy and able to have a full offseason when we get rolling.”