Vikings' Blake Cashman: Career year in 2024 with Minnesota
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Cashman finished the 2024 season with 112 tackles (68 solo), including 4.5 sacks, eight pass breakups and one fumble recovery across 14 regular-season contests.
After starting just eight games from 2019-22 with the Jets and Texans, Cashman started 13 games for the 2023 Texans and set a career high with 106 tackles. He then landed a three-year, $22.5 million deal in free agency from Minnesota and went on to set new career bests across the board, making 14 starts, despite missing three games with a toe injury. Cashman recorded double-digit tackles six times, including in the wild-card playoff loss to the Rams. Cashman should again be an every-down linebacker and tackles machine in 2025 under ultra-aggressive defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Team-high 11 tackles vs. Green Bay
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Cashman tallied 11 tackles (six solo), including 1.5 sacks, during the Vikings' 27-25 win over the Packers on Sunday.
Cashman led the Vikings in tackling Sunday for a second straight game. He combined with Andrew Van Ginkel to sack Jordan Love for a 10-yard loss early in the fourth quarter, and Cashman followed that up with a solo sack on Love during the Packers' next offensive drive. Cashman has logged at least seven combined tackles in each of his last five games, and over that span he has accumulated 49 tackles (36 tackles), including 1.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Paces Minnesota in tackles
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Cashman recorded 12 total tackles (nine solo), including one tackle for loss, and defended one pass in Sunday's 27-24 win over the Seahawks.
Cashman tallied his fourth game with double-digit stops in Sunday's narrow win, leading the Vikings' defense in total tackles. The 28-year-old linebacker has impressed in his first season with the Vikings, recording 93 total tackles, including 3.0 sacks, and defending eight passes through 12 appearances. Expect Cashman to continue starting alongside Kamu Grugier-Hill as part of Minnesota's top inside-linebacker duo in the Week 17 matchup against the Packers.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Logs full practice Thursday
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Cashman (knee) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.
Cashman was limited in Wednesday's practice due to a knee injury, but his full practice Thursday indicates that he should be good to go against Atlanta on Sunday. Over his last four games, Cashman has logged 26 tackles (16 solo), including 2.0 sacks.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Picks up knee injury
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Cashman (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.
Cashman appears to have sustained a knee injury in Sunday's win over the Cardinals, despite playing 100 percent of the Vikings' defensive snaps and recording 10 total tackles. The sixth-year pro's practice participation Thursday and Friday will likely provide the best indication of whether he can play through the issue in Week 14, when the Falcons travel to Minnesota.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Fills stat sheet vs. Jags
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Cashman recorded five total tackles (three solo), including 1.0 sacks and an additional tackle for loss, in Sunday's 12-7 win over the Jaguars.
Cashman tied three other Vikings as the team's leading tackler in Sunday's win, and he also brought down Mac Jones in the second quarter for his second sack of the season. The Minnesota product has now tallied 45 total tackles and five passes defended through six appearances this season. He's expected to remain one of Minnesota's top tacklers as the Vikings travel to Tennessee in Week 12.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Missing another week
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Cashman (toe) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Colts.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters Friday that Cashman was close to returning for the Vikings' Week 9 matchup, and the team is hoping that he can play in Week 10's game against the Jaguars, per Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Expect Kamu Grugier-Hill to continue seeing increased snaps with the Vikings' first-team defense while Cashman remains sidelined Sunday.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Logs DNP on Wednesday
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Cashman (toe) didn't practice Wednesday.
Cashman didn't play in the Vikings' last two games due to a toe injury, and Wednesday's DNP suggests he's in jeopardy of missing even more time. The Minnesota product likely needs to upgrade to at least limited participation Thursday or Friday in order to suit up for the Vikings' Week 9 matchup against the Colts.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Getting close to return
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Head coach Kevin O'Connell stated Monday that he isn't sure if Cashman (toe) will be available Thursday against the Rams, but he is positive he should return no later than Week 9, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Cashman hasn't played since Week 5 due to turf toe, but he is making good progress, according to O'Connell. With the Vikings on a short week and playing the Rams on Thursday, the 28-year-old won't have much extra time to recover and prepare before the team's next matchup. A firmer stance on his status for the matchup may not come until Minnesota releases its inactive list 90 minutes before kickoff Thursday.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Leading tackler versus 49ers
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Cashman recorded 13 tackles (five solo), with 1.0 sacks, during Minnesota's 23-17 win over the 49ers on Sunday.
Cashman was dominant for the Vikings, as he led the team in tackles in addition to logging his first sack of the season. The 28-year-old has now amassed 19 tackles (nine solo) across the first two games of the 2024 campaign.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Left off injury report
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Cashman (finger) was absent from the Vikings' injury report Wednesday ahead of Sunday's Week 1 matchup with the Giants.
Cashman sustained a finger injury that required surgery in mid-August, but it appears he's already moved past the issue and will be ready for Minnesota's regular-season opener Sunday. Expect the first-year Viking to serve as one of the team's top inside linebackers after recording 106 total tackles across 14 regular-season games with the Texans in 2023.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Underwent finger surgery
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Cashman suffered a finger injury that required surgery Wednesday, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Coach Kevin O'Connell said Cashman will return once his stitches heal. It's not a long-term issue, and Cashman should be fine for Week 1. Signed to a three-year deal back in March, Cashman is coming off a career year last season in Houston, finishing with 106 tackles (56 solo), two sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. He should be a tackling machine for Minnesota.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Signing three-year deal with Vikings
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Cashman is slated to sign a three-year contract with the Vikings, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
Cashman can make up to $22.5 million over the course of the contract. The oft-injured linebacker put together a healthy and productive 2023 season in Houston, posting 106 tackles (56 solo) in 14 appearances. Cashman's expected to fill a starting role for the Vikings, and this will be a homecoming for the Minnesota native.
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Texans' Blake Cashman: Multi-week absence possible
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Cashman is expected to miss at least one week after suffering a hamstring injury in Sunday's loss to the Jets, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Cashman's likely absence against the Titans on Sunday will be a blow to Houston's defense. The 27-year-old is the team's current leader with 87 total tackles and has been one of the team's starters at outside linebacker for the majority of the season. While he is out of action, Jake Hansen is expected to step into a starting role.
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Texans' Blake Cashman: Exits with injury
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Cashman has left Sunday's game against the Jets due to a hamstring injury.
Cashman had three solo tackles before exiting with the injury late in the second quarter. His absence will leave a void at linebacker for the Texans, which Jake Hansen will likely be asked to fill while Cashman is out of action.
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Texans' Blake Cashman: Moving to middle linebacker
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Cashman will start at middle linebacker Sunday against the Cardinals, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston reports.
Cashman is tapped to fill in for the suspended Denzel Perryman, who will also miss Week 12 against the Jaguars. Normally, Henry To'oTo'o would fill in for Perryman, but he's out while in concussion protocol. Cory Littleton will slide in at strongside linebacker, Cashman's normal spot, and Christian Harris will continue to start on the weak side. Cashman was impacted by a knee injury last week and played just 35 snaps (55 percent), but he's been a high-volume tackler when healthy and available for a full game. He averaged 9.8 tackles over the four games leading up to last week's win over the Bengals.
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Texans' Blake Cashman: Suiting up at Cincinnati
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Cashman (knee) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game at the Bengals.
Cashman upgraded from limited participation at practice Thursday to full participation Friday, putting himself on track to play in Week 10. He's on pace for his first 100-tackle season, making him a fine IDP play Sunday.
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Texans' Blake Cashman: Logs first sack of the year
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Cashman recorded five tackles (four solo), with a sack, during Sunday's 15-13 loss to the Panthers.
Cashman managed to log his first sack of the season after logging three during the previous campaign. The 2019 fifth-round pick is now just three tackles shy of his career high (40) set back during his rookie year, and he should have an ample opportunity to surpass the mark this week versus the Buccaneers.
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Texans' Blake Cashman: Good to go Sunday
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Cashman (hamstring) was left off the Texans' injury report ahead of Sunday's game against Indianapolis.
The 27-year-old has had enough time to move past his hamstring injury, as he participated in full during Friday's practice. Cashman projects to play as a rotational outside linebacker for Houston's defense in Sunday's contest.
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Texans' Blake Cashman: Looking unlikely for Week 1
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Cashman (hamstring) is not practicing Monday and is not expected to play Sunday at Baltimore, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Cashman has been dealing with a hamstring injury since mid-August, and it appears that he may miss Houston's regular-season opener as a result. The 2019 fifth-round pick could be in line for a starting role when healthy, but until then, Cory Littleton will likely benefit from increased defensive snaps.
