Vikings CB Stephon Gilmore out Sunday vs. Falcons
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings' pass defense will be weaker than usual when the team takes on the Atlanta Falcons and former starting quarterback Kirk Cousins on Sunday.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore will miss the game with a hamstring injury, the Vikings announced Friday.
"It was always something that you hold your fingers crossed, just in case maybe he can get a limited day in and possibly be available," head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "But he's right on schedule with where we probably thought he would be and we'll see what next week looks like."
Gilmore left Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals early with the injury. Since signing with the Vikings in August, the 34-year-old former Defensive Player of the Year has started all 12 games and played more than 92% of snaps in seven of them,
The Vikings signed free agent cornerback Kelvin Joseph to the practice squad as insurance earlier this week.
The team also said long snapper Andrew DePaola, pass rushers Patrick Jones II and Andrew Van Ginkel, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, kicker Will Reichard and guard Dalton Risner will all be questionable. All of them "hopefully have a good chance to go," O'Connell said. The Vikings are hoping Reichard and DePaola can return from injured reserve Sunday after both players missed more than a month.
The Vikings host the Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium Sunday, with kickoff slated for noon.
