It’s been a whirlwind for veteran left tackle Cam Robinson this week.
After being acquired by the Vikings in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday night, Robinson touched down in the Twin Cities on Wednesday afternoon, then made his way to TCO Performance Center on Thursday morning.
He talked briefly with reporters after participating in his first practice with the Vikings.
“Obviously there’s a lot going on, and it’s a lot of change,” Robinson said. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
The decision to be aggressive and make a move for Robinson came shortly after the Vikings learned that standout left tackle Christian Darrisaw would be out for the remainder of this season. It shouldn’t take Robinson and his 6-foot-6, 335-pound frame too long to get acclimated to his new surroundings.
If everything goes according to plan, Robinson will be a part of the starting lineup in short order. Will he be ready to play on Sunday night at U.S. Bank Stadium when the Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts?
“I’m not sure,” Robinson said. “I’m trying to be a sponge and take in as much as I can.”
It helps that Robinson has a demeanor that lends itself to adjusting on the fly. He’s grateful to be with the Vikings and has made it a point of emphasis to roll with the punches regardless of what happens.
“Just kind of let things fall into place,” Robinson said. “It’s more my personality to stay calm.”
Fittingly, Robinson was greeted with a flurry of snowflakes less than 24 hours after arriving in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. It was proof that he was no longer in the Sunshine State.
“I noticed that,” Robinson said with a laugh. “I know I didn’t bring that with me.”
Cashman absent
It’s beginning to look like a long shot that linebacker Blake Cashman is ready to go when the Vikings host the Colts. He has been dealing with a toe injury for the past few weeks, and while he has been steadily progressing, he missed practice once again on Thursday afternoon.
Though head coach Kevin O’Connell initially seemed optimistic about getting Cashman back into the mix, the fact that he still hasn’t logged a practice of any sort is not a good sign about his availability heading into this weekend.
If the Vikings rule Cashman out, young linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. would continue to fill the role as a starter, and veteran linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill would also get an uptick in playing time.
Taimani misses
The only other player aside from Cashman that did not participate in practice was defensive tackle Taki Taimani. He was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday afternoon, so the fact that he did not participate at all on Thursday afternoon indicates that his ankle injury has gotten worse.
Could this open the door for rookie defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez to make his NFL debut? Perhaps. He has been inactive in every game so far this season while Taimani and defensive tackle Jalen Redmond have served as rotational players in the trenches.
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Source: Vikings acquire left tackle Cam Robinson in trade with Jaguars
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