Things looking positive for Anthony Barr, Tyler Conklin

In recent weeks, the Minnesota Vikings haven’t gotten a ton of good news on the injury front, but things might be starting to look up for a pair of players that are looking to play key roles in the team’s success in 2021.

Linebacker Anthony Barr, who has not practiced since 5 August with what was, until today, an unknown ailment, has gotten a solid bill of health from head coach Mike Zimmer.

(Yes, yes. . .I know.)

Zimmer said on Monday that Barr is doing really good and that he’s hopeful the team can have him back for Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I hate to say it because (the media) will say I’m wrong if I’m wrong, but he’s doing really good,” Zimmer said Monday. “We’ve got a good plan for him to get him ready to go.”

Barr is apparently dealing with some sort of a knee issue, but was seen riding a stationary bike at the TCO Performance Center on Monday. So, we’ll keep our fingers crossed on that front.

As far as Conklin, he returned to practice on Monday after being held out with a hamstring injury. Conklin told reporters that he was held out as more of a precaution than anything with the team deciding to play things safe with him. Given the injury to Irv Smith Jr. that is going to keep him out for a yet-undetermined period of time (and perhaps the entire season), it’s probably a good thing that the team did so.

Conklin got some opportunities at the end of last year as the #2 tight end with Kyle Rudolph injured, and with Rudolph now in New York and Smith being out, he has ascended to the #1 tight end on the depth chart for the time being. Barring anything strange happening, he’ll be good to go when the Vikings and Bengals meet on 12 September.

Hopefully the good news will continue coming in for the Vikings, because at this point they could certainly use all the positivity they can get.