Rashod Hill ended last season as the fifth person to play left tackle for the Vikings in 2016. And he'll be there again at 2:45 this afternoon when the team returns to full pads in its third day of training camp.
Riley Reiff, the team's prized free-agent acquisition, remains sidelined with what the team describes as an injury that won't take long to heal. Reiff was at this morning's walkthrough, but did not participate.
Reiff was carted off the field on Day 1 of camp on Thursday. And although he's expected to make a speedy return, it can't be comforting after what happened last season to start the padded part of training camp without one of the offensive line starters.
"Well, we don't want to start the same thing that happened last year," Zimmer said. "We want to try and get through 16 games with these guys. Yeah, I mean, it's concerning. You don't want to get anybody hurt the first day."
Hill's NFL debut came on Jan. 1 against Chicago when he finished the game at left tackle. The Vikings had acquired him Nov. 15 from Jacksonville's practice squad as their injuries up front continued to mount.
"He played good in that game," Zimmer said. "Guy coming in the middle of the year and learning a different system and things like that. He's a very talented guy. Long arms. Huge size. Just got to continue to progress in communication and things like that."
In other injury news, linebacker Kentrell Brothers, who appeared to pull his left hamstring in Friday's practice, did not participate in the morning walkthrough, but was present. He will not practice today. Zimmer indicated the injury is not serious.
Meanwhile, running back Jerick McKinnon, who sat out Friday's practice, did participate in the morning walkthrough today.
