Vikings Injury Report: How Seriously Is Kevin Williams Hurt?

The Minnesota Vikings, heading into their final pre-season contest of 2013 against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night, have remained relatively healthy. With the starters set to see little, if any, action in that contest, we can take a look at the health of the team going into the regular season opener.

The biggest concern at this point is the leg injury of defensive tackle Kevin Williams. Williams was injured on what can generously be called a cheap shot by San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Joe Looney. An MRI showed no ligament damage to Williams' knee, and coach Leslie Frazier said that the team was "hoping to have Williams back" for the regular season opener against Detroit.

Incidentally, the NFL ruled that the block by Looney on Williams was legal, but that they would "look at the rules involving similar blocks next season." I believe it was those noted American philosophers, the Insane Clown Posse, who once inquired "How does that work?"

If Williams were to miss time, his likely replacement would be rookie Sharrif Floyd, who missed a good chunk of the pre-season with a knee injury of his own. Floyd was showing rather well for himself before his injury, and the team was actually hoping he could spend more time as Williams' understudy. Circumstances may dictate something different.

The Vikings have also moved wide receiver Greg Childs to the "Reserve/Physically Unable To Perform" List. As we mentioned about a month ago, this means that Childs can't practice with the team for the first six weeks of the season. After that, the team has three weeks to decide whether to have him begin practicing with the team, or else he goes on injured reserve. If he does start practicing with the team, they have three weeks to move him to the 53-man roster, or else he goes on injured reserve. As happy as we've been with Childs' comeback thus far, with his constant Twitter updates about how things have progressed, the coaching staff and trainers still clearly think he needs some more time.

Cornerback Chris Cook left the game against San Francisco with a groin injury. The severity of the injury is unknown at this point, and would prove to be incredibly problematic to the Vikings if this were to persist for an extended period of time.

Jarius Wright suffered a concussion in the second pre-season game against Buffalo, and was cleared to play prior to the San Francisco game, but didn't make the trip with the team. There's no reason to think that he won't be ready for the regular season opener.

That's a quick update on the Vikings' injury situation at this point. As I've said, the team has remained relatively healthy this pre-season, and barring something really weird happening should start the regular season that way as well.