Latavius Murray’s priority is to fully recover from March ankle surgery so the enigmatic Vikings running back can be in top shape for his new coaches and teammates to fully appreciate him.
There is a strict rehabilitation schedule the team’s medical staff is following. Now in his second week of practice, Murray has not been cleared to play Friday night in Minnesota’s second preseason game at Seattle.
Murray is doing his best to stay true to the program as rookie Dalvin Cook absorbs the first-team snaps and accolades, when the truth is he’s dying to play in a game for the first time since a Jan. 7 wild-card playoff loss with the Oakland Raiders.
“I think it’s tough because these players here don’t really know me that well,” Murray said Tuesday as the Vikings returned to practice following an off day.
“I’ve only been on the team for a few months. I’ve got to earn their trust and get back on the field and let them see what I’m about. That’s the most frustrating thing for me because I want to earn their trust and play alongside them. It’s hard for them to see it at this point.”
Murray started 31 of 45 games with the Raiders and led the team in rushing the past two seasons, including a 1,066-yard season in 2015. He has earned nothing but praise for his preparedness and professionalism from teammates and coach Mike Zimmer, who is confident the featured back has absorbed the terminology, blocking and pass protection nuances of the Vikings’ system.
Zimmer is equally anxious to see Murray take snaps in a Minnesota uniform.
“Latavius is a smart guy,” Zimmer said. “I need to see him. I think anytime you have a new guy come in, you need to see him play some. It’s pretty much the medical. He’s getting more and more (work) every day, so it won’t be too much longer.”
Murray, who signed a three-year, $15 million contract as a free agent just before his operation, knows he has ample ground to make up on Cook, the second-round pick draft from Florida State who started last week’s 17-10 victory at Buffalo.
“I need to get as much repetition as I can,” he said. “It’s not a thing where I want to wait ‘til the season starts. Anytime I’m on the field — practice, preseason games — is a chance for me to get better. I’m not holding back or trying to wait.”
Murray was activated from the physically unable to perform list Aug. 7. He had surgery March 22 and was sidelined from May OTAs, June minicamp and the first two weeks of training camp.
“There’s nothing I’m not able to do,” Murray insisted. “It’s just I haven’t played football in a live setting in a while. It’s just a matter of just getting back into the rhythm.”
Murray has been able to do more each practice. Typically the Vikings play their starters into the third quarter of the third preseason game, which is Aug. 27 against San Francisco at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The fourth preseason game is Aug. 31 at home against Miami. That gives Murray two more weeks to at least get into game action, although it would be alongside a backup quarterback and reserve offensive linemen.
“I have to be honest with myself and be smart about going out on the field,” he said. “It doesn’t come down to whether I want to be out there or not. I have to take precautions on how my ankle is and making sure I was well enough to be out there on the field. I definitely like where I’m heading right now.
“I’ll be back on the field in no time.”