After tearing both of his patellar tendons in an awful injury at Vikings training camp over the weekend, rookie wide receiver Greg Childs officially cleared waivers on Tuesday and was promptly placed on Minnesota's injured/reserve list:
Both DB Nick Taylor (7/31) and WR Greg Childs (today) have cleared waivers and are now on the
— Minnesota Vikings (@VikingsFootball) August 7, 2012#Vikings Reserve/Injured list.
A fourth-round pick selected out of Arkansas in the spring, Childs now figures to see a significant amount of rehab time after being left with not one, but two gimpy knees. Though head coach Lezlie Frazier told 1500ESPN.com's Tom Pelissero that doctors confirmed that Childs did not suffer a more serious or lasting injury aside from the two torn tendons (which are bad enough on their own), it's clear that this is quite a significant blow for a team that hoped the young receiver could emerge as a difference-maker in the passing game.
Worse yet, the fact that Childs also tore his right patellar tendon during his junior campaign with the Razorbacks is now something that looms larger than ever, regardless of the coincidence. There have been a number of NFL players over the years who have seemingly suffered random, yet identical injuries that have forced them out of the league, and Childs is not exactly starting his NFL tenure on the proper path. Hopefully for the Vikings though, Childs will be able to clear the rather tricky mental hurdle first and foremost, and will thus have all the confidence in the world to prove this injury was a fluke when he finally gets back on the field.
For more on Childs' knee injuries, be sure to stay with this StoryStream. For more Vikings coverage from training camp, be sure to head over to this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's Vikings blog, Daily Norseman.