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Final Vikings-Saints Injury Report: Mike Hughes to IR, Mackensie Alexander Out

The Vikings will be shorthanded in the secondary on Sunday.
Will Ragatz|
Final Vikings-Saints Injury Report: Mike Hughes to IR, Mackensie Alexander Out
Final Vikings-Saints Injury Report: Mike Hughes to IR, Mackensie Alexander Out

The Vikings will be without their top two slot cornerbacks against the Saints on Sunday. Considering the Saints boast the league's best receiver and one of the most prolific and accurate quarterbacks in NFL history, that could be an issue.

Second-year CB Mike Hughes (neck) was placed on injured reserve on Friday, ending his season. To take his spot on the active roster, the Vikings signed an old friend in cornerback/punt returner Marcus Sherels. This is the second stint on the Vikings' roster for Sherels this season, and he has also spent time with the Saints and Dolphins.

Making matters worse is that CB Mackensie Alexander (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game. Alexander has been having a strong season and his absence will be felt.

So what will the Vikings do in the secondary? Jayron Kearse and Holton Hill will see expanded playing time in place of Hughes and Alexander. Kearse gives the Vikings a big, physical option against Saints tight end Jared Cook, while Hill is better suited to cover a slot WR like Tre'Quan Smith.

Xavier Rhodes will get the incredibly difficult assignment of Michael Thomas, though the Vikings will need to give Rhodes plenty of help. On the other side, it'll be Trae Waynes against speedster Ted Ginn. Minnesota will need Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith, and Anthony Harris to play well and help out the corners.

Sherels figures to take over as punt returner but is unlikely to see snaps at CB.

The only other injury note for the Vikings is that DE Ifeadi Odenigbo (hamstring) is questionable. Odenigbo is third on the team with seven sacks, including four in the last five games of the regular season.

That means Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, and Stephen Weatherly are officially good to go.

For the Saints, cornerback Eli Apple and fullback Zach Line are out. They're already without starting defensive linemen Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Davenport, who are on IR.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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