It looks like linebacker Blake Cashman will have a chance to return when the Vikings play the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Cashman, who has missed the last few games with a toe injury, was spotted at practice at the TCO Performance Center on Wednesday afternoon. Asked for an update on his projection, head coach Kevin O’Connell said he expects Cashman to be listed as a limited participant.

“Hopefully we can handle that workload while he’s gone,” O’Connell said. “He’s definitely dying to get back out there with the guys.”

While it’s unclear exactly when Cashman will be ready, finally getting back on the field with his teammates is a step in the right direction. He had not trained at all since injuring his toe in a game against the New York Jets in London on October 6.

In Cashman’s absence, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. served as the main communicator on defense.

McQuaide brings experience

After placing senior long snapper Andrew DePaola on injured reserve, the Vikings signed senior long snapper Jake McQuaide to replace him in the short term.

The experience McQuaide brings to the table is one of the biggest reasons the Vikings targeted him. He played 190 games over more than a decade in the NFL, spending time with the Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.

It will be an almost entirely new operation for the Vikings in the kicking game this week.

Not only did they sign McQuaide, but they also signed veteran kicker John Parker Romo after placing rookie kicker Will Reichard on injured reserve. The only holdout at battery is punter Ryan Wright, who serves as catcher.

“You’re trying to eliminate any uncertainty,” O’Connell said. “I really trust the guys that come here, do their job and help us win.”

Murphy is approaching

There was a lot of optimism surrounding undrafted forward Gabe Murphy during training camp. This was halted due to a knee injury that demoted him to injured reserve.

Now it looks like Murphy is getting closer to making his NFL debut.

Once the Vikings officially open the training window for Murphy, they will try to get him up to speed in hopes of getting him back to action as soon as possible. He could eventually add some depth to a group of forward rushers who are already achieving at a high level.