David Morgan came through in the clutch as an emergency long-snapper during the Minnesota Vikings' shutout win against Green Bay. The tight end filled in for Kevin McDermott, who left at the end of the first half with what coach Mike Zimmer called a "hurt shoulder." Morgan successfully snapped for three punts and two field goals in the 16-0 victory.
Multiple outlets are reporting that McDermott dislocated his left shoulder, which will potentially cause him to miss Sunday's regular-season finale against Chicago.
Zimmer confirmed that the Vikings will bring in free agents for a workout on Tuesday and that there's "a possibility" that Minnesota will make a roster move.
If the Vikings choose to sign a long-snapper ahead of Week 17, they might not need to create additional space on the roster. Zimmer said the team is not planning to sign another offensive lineman to replace left guard Nick Easton, who fractured his ankle on Sunday and will have season-ending surgery.
Easton was replaced by swingman Jeremiah Sirles, who will presumably fill that role indefinitely. Sirles took over at left guard from Weeks 5-7 after Easton suffered a calf injury on Oct. 9.
Morgan, the Vikings' No. 2 tight end, played 43 of Minnesota's 65 snaps against Green Bay. He just recently began to practice long snapping "one or two days a week, (for) five or 10 minutes."
That emergency preparedness paid off on Saturday.
"Last year we had a couple of guys that did it, and then this year they all kind of left, and he was like, "Hey -- we need you to try and do it,'" Morgan said. "So, I just started practicing. It's been probably going on two weeks I've been doing it."
