Chavous Out For Sunday's Game

The Vikings had a good-news, bad-news scenario with safety Corey Chavous. The good news is that his knee injury won't sideline him as long as intially feared. The bad news is that he's been all but scratched for Sunday night's game.

Initial diagnoses after the Vikings' win over the Packers Sunday said that the right knee injury to Corey Chavous could be severe enough to sideline him anywhere from one week up to as long as after the Vikings bye week next month.

While that prognosis was upgraded Monday, Chavous is almost certain to miss Sunday night's home opener with the Bears.

Chavous was in considerable pain Monday and is going to have the knee re-evaluated later in the week. He will be listed as doubtful when the Vikings send their injury report to the NFL Wednesday, but the chances of him playing Sunday are remote at this point.

At the earliest, Chavous will practice Friday, and that looks unlikely at this point.

TUESDAY NOTES
* Willie Offord is expected to start in Chavous place, but may be shifted to free safety with Brian Russell sliding over the strong safety.
* For depth purposes, the Vikings, as reported earlier, officially re-signed safety Ron Israel Monday. Israel was one of the Vikings' final cuts Labor Day weekend.
* To make room for Israel on the 53-man roster, the Vikings cut DL Colin Cole.
* Fullback Charles Stackhouse, formerly of the New York Giants, is one of several players being brought in for workouts. By rule, after the first week of the season, players signed don't have guaranteed contracts, which is why several teams will be signing players this week.
* The Vikings cut WR Ben Nelson from the practice squad Monday and re-signed CB Jermaine Mays.