Bishop Sankey's Knee Injury Reportedly Diagnosed as Torn ACL, Out for Season

Minnesota Vikings running back Bishop Sankey will reportedly miss the entire 2017 NFL season because of a torn ACL.  

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, an MRI taken Friday showed the damage.         

The Vikings signed Sankey to their practice squad in November, and he agreed to a reserve/futures contract with the team in January. That meant Minnesota would keep his rights for the 2017 season with the hope of getting something from the 2014 second-round pick. 

The 24-year-old Sankey was injured in the third quarter of Thursday's preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. 

Sankey's absence does hurt Minnesota's depth in the backfield. The team drafted Dalvin Cook with the 41st overall pick in April's draft, and he will likely compete with Latavius Murray for the starting job when the regular season starts for the Vikings on Sept. 11 vs. the New Orleans Saints. 

Jerick McKinnon, who set a career high with 159 carries in 2016, will be Minnesota's No. 3 running back. Sankey hasn't appeared in a regular-season game since 2015 with the Tennessee Titans and was released by the team as part of final cuts in September 2016.