The USF/Palmetto product seemed to have the job locked up, but unexpectedly experienced back problems that forced him to miss the Vikings last two pre-season games.
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| Mistral Raymond breaks up pass against Packers |
Raymond had been battling Jamarca Stanford
for the position. Stanford started 15 games of last year, but Raymond reportedly
out-performed him during the off season. The other safety position figures to
go to rookie first round draft choice Harrison Smith from
Notre Dame.
“I didn’t know what was going on. It’s a weird
deal. It just came out of nowhere. It came and then went back to normal like I
never experienced before,” Raymond said about his injury.
It’s been reported that the Vikings coaching
staff wants Raymond in the starting lineup this Sunday against the Jacksonville
Jaguars. But back injuries (mostly spasms in his case) have a way of lingering
and resurfacing without notice and the staff is being very careful.
Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier
has taken a diplomatic view of the situation saying there is a chance Raymond
will start but not clarifying things beyond that.
Raymond returned to practice this week but says
he hasn’t been told anything about who the starter will be Sunday. He stressed
it won’t change his work habits.
“We want to see Mistral go through some things,
with all the time that he missed toward the end,” Frazier told the media on
Wednesday. “Let us take a look at some things the next couple of
days and we’ll make a decision as the week goes on. But we have confidence in
the both of them, and we’ll make the right decision.”
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