Blake Cashman is positioned to make his return in Week 7. The veteran linebacker was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, per a Vikings announcement. 
Cashman had his practice window opened earlier this week. That left Minnesota with 21 days to bring him back into the fold, but it is of course a positive development that he has been activated after one week of practice. Cashman will be expected to return to his full-time starting role.
The 29-year-old suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1 and has been unavailable since. Having Cashman back in place will be critical for the Vikings’ defense, though, considering his impact from last season. During his debut campaign with his hometown team, Cashman set a career high in tackles (112), sacks (4.5) and pass deflections (eight). Expectations will be high for another productive season if he can remain healthy the rest of the way.
Cashman is under contract for 2026. With none of his base salary for next year guaranteed, however, the former fifth-rounder’s future could be somewhat uncertain based on how the coming months play out. Cashman managing to duplicate his impact from 2024 would no doubt ensure he remains in place for next season, but a contract adjustment could be in store one way or another. For now, attention will turn to Cashman’s ability to boost a defense which ranks fifth in scoring but only 24th against the run.
In addition to Cashman, the Vikings have also activated pass rusher Tyler Batty. The undrafted rookie was given the designated for return tag during roster cutdowns, and he returned to practice at the start of October. Minnesota now has five IR activations remaining on the year.