The Vikings’ struggling defense will have to right the ship this season without linebacker Anthony Barr, who will be placed on injured reserve Monday with a season-ending torn pectoral muscle, head coach Mike Zimmer said.
Barr, the 28-year-old Pro Bowler, sustained the injury near the end of the first quarter of Sunday’s 28-11 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He came up clutching his right shoulder after tackling Colts running back Jonathan Taylor on a 5-yard catch, and seemed to play through the injury for one snap before leaving the game between the first and second quarters.
“He’s an integral part of the defense,” Zimmer said Monday via videoconference.