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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Jerick McKinnon took the handoff left and hit heavy traffic in his own end zone, bouncing off a Minnesota blocker to find a different route out of the end zone.Somehow, he avoided the safety.Racing right, the young running back scampered through a crease in the middle of the field to carve out a 10-yard gain for the Vikings in the second quarter of the exhibition opener at Cincinnati last week. McKinnon caught a short pass to convert a third-and-2 on the next play, too, extending a drive that ended with a long touchdown throw by Teddy Bridgewater.McKinnons diverse set of skills and the nature of successful offenses in the NFL have made one of the smallest players on Minnesotas roster one of the most important. Meaningless preseason games or not, McKinnons value is set up for another increase this season.Its a good situation for me, I feel, he said, alluding to the presence of Adrian Peterson in front of him.For the Vikings, too.We want to be able to use Jerick a lot. Im hopeful that he has a very good year, coach Mike Zimmer said. Hes a great kid. He works real hard. Doesnt hardly ever make mistakes.The fact that Peterson has turned 31 is only part of this equation. If any player in the league can defy the limits of at-his-age production, Peterson is probably him. He led the NFL last season with 1,485 yards rushing with only six carries that netted more than 25 yards, all behind an offensive line that never found its footing.Peterson simply isnt the same threat when down and distance dictates a pass, in terms of both catching ability and blitz pickup. McKinnon can handle those tasks more to the coaching staffs liking, and he brings the shift in style and stature that can be an effective change to throw at a team geared up for Peterson.There are certain games where theyre really going to struggle with a guy like him, and there are certain games that it may not be the best fit, offensive coordinator Norv Turner said. So those are the decisions we make on a week-to-week basis, but its nice having him because we know hes an explosive player.McKinnons versatility as a running back, wide receiver, cornerback and option quarterback at Georgia Southern in college earned him the nickname Jet and a selection by the Vikings in the third round of the 2014 draft. He averaged 6.1 yards per touch in his second year in the league on 52 carries and 21 catches. Turner acknowledged the possibility of putting both McKinnon and Peterson in the backfield for certain plays.Its only smart to use that guy and put him in there against different defenses, so we can take advantage of him, said Peterson, who often has a hard time conceding the benefit of fewer snaps for him.To stay on the field more, the 5-foot-9 McKinnon must be able to withstand the jarring contact that comes with carrying the ball in the NFL. Peterson said hes noticed his position mate become more of a physical runner through the middle. McKinnon said he gained 11 pounds during the offseason to get to 206 pounds.That was something last year I kind of had trouble with, keeping my weight, McKinnon said. Its hard, coming out here. Youve just got to stay dedicated to eating. Its hard, being out here for so long, youre not really hungry going in, but youve got to push yourself to eat.Even with the extra pounds, McKinnon joked recently that his fellow running backs, even the rookies, still treat him like the little brother in the room.His impact on the Vikings this season ought to his outreach his size, though.I just feel its all coming together, McKinnon said. I just think if I get the opportunity to be able to contribute more, I feel like Ill have a lot to showcase.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLStitched Jerseys . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Soccer Jerseys .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Cheap Jerseys . LUCIE, Fla.Houston Texans rookie center Nick Martin had ankle surgery and is expected to miss four months, sources told ESPN on Thursday.The Texans second-round pick (50th overall) in the 2016 draft, Martin sustained a high-ankle sprain Aug. 18 during a practice against the New Orleans Saints.Houston will likely put Martin on injured reserve but could bring him back to practice in six weeks. He would be able to play two weeks later. The previous rule, adopted in 2012, required a team to decide if it wanted to designate a player to return when it put him on IR. In March, the NFL owners passed a change that allows a team to bring any one player bback, provided he has spent at least six weeks on injured reserve.ddddddddddddGreg Mancz, a former undrafted free agent, has played in the first two preseason games and has taken the majority of reps in Martins absence.Martins injury was the latest to an offensive line that is already missing starting tackles Duane Brown (quadriceps) and Derek Newton (hamstring).The NFL Network first reported Martins surgery.Information from ESPNs Dan Graziano, Josina Anderson and Sarah Barshop contributed to this report. ' ' '