According to a report from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Phil Loadholt suffered a torn achilles early in Saturday night’s preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will miss the rest of the 2015 season.
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Rookie T.J. Clemmings replaced Loadholt in the lineup. Soon, he was loaded on a cart and hauled inside the locker room.
With quarterback Teddy Bridgewater entering his second season and the return of running back Adrian Peterson, the Vikings have high hopes for the 2015 season.
Center John Sullivan, one of the leaders of the Vikings’ line, turned down a request by Shutdown Corner to discuss Loadholt’s loss. That’s incredibly disappointing, as Loadholt had developed into one of the premiere right tackles in the league.
The seven-year veteran lasted just two plays against the Buccaneers in Minnesota’s second preseason game before suffering an injury to his leg that had him carted off the field.
Loadholt missed the end of the last season after an injury, and losing him hurt the Vikings’ offensive line late in the season. He was cleared for practice at the start of training camp. The No. 1 thing Clemmings needs to do is to succeed in run blocking, which is what Loadholt was so good at. He signed a three-year extension worth $25 million in 2013.
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“I’ve just got to keep doing what I’ve been doing”, he said. Asked if there was another option other than Clemmings at right tackle, Zimmer seemed to stand behind his rookie. Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber, working as a sideline reporter for Minnesota’s television broadcast, said trainers were working on Loadholt’s left foot or ankle.
