Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr participated in the open portion of practice Friday morning, strengthening his chances of playing in Sunday’s game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Barr had missed the previous two days of practice with a hamstring injury, and a third missed session would have almost certainly forced him to miss the Vikings’ Week 2 contest. It’s unclear when Barr injured the hamstring, since he played every snap against the New Orleans Saints and finished second on the team in tackles with eight.
The 2014 first-round pick played a team-high 99.03 percent of defensive snaps last season, despite dealing with an injured hand. He’ll be needed to help slow down the talented Le’Veon Bell in the run game and pressure Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
If Barr does not play, it’s unclear who might take his place. Last year, when linebacker Eric Kendricks missed his lone game, the Vikings used veteran Chad Greenway for 50 snaps, Emmanuel Lamur for 16 snaps and Audie Cole for 16 snaps. With Greenway and Cole gone, Lamur is the only veteran depth the Vikings have at linebacker.
Ben Gedeon played 16 snaps in the base defense in his rookie debut but may not be equipped to handle nickel duties. Other options Kentrell Brothers and Eric Wilson have yet to play a defensive snap in their careers.
Barr’s status will be clearer once the Vikings release their injury report Friday afternoon.
