Chris Cook's broken wrist leaves Vikings' secondary short-handed
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MINNEAPOLIS -- For the third time in as many NFL seasons, Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook appears headed for an extended absence.
Cook broke his right wrist in the third quarter of Thursday's 36-17 loss to Tampa Bay, coach Leslie Frazier said.
Asked if Cook will miss significant time, Frazier said, "I would imagine, with a broken wrist. I don't know. Sometimes you can cast it. I don't know enough yet."
Cook was injured while trying to tackle Buccaneers running back Doug Martin. He immediately grabbed his right forearm and jogged to the sideline, where the Vikings' athletic trainers examined him, then headed to the locker room for X-rays.
The loss is significant because Cook -- who underwent two knee surgeries as a rookie in 2010 and was placed on paid leave after an arrest last October, missing 10 games each time -- once again appeared to be ascending as he got more reps.
Josh Robinson replaced Cook in the base defense and figures to start as long as Cook is out. A.J. Jefferson played in the nickel defense and Marcus Sherels in the dime.
"It hurts a lot," safety Harrison Smith said. "Seeing a guy like him go to work every day, playing with the passion he has, it's a shame he got hurt like that."
