There has been a lot of noise about Takkarist McKinley’s status for the beginning of training camp, but not a lot of clarity. Thankfully, Thomas Dimitroff was here to clear the air today. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the most encouraging news for us.

Per the linked Vaughn McClure article, it sounds like Takk is going to be limited early on in camp, and the team is looking for him to be ready for that critical third preseason game. Reading between the lines a little, that means McKinley will probably only practice on a limited basis over the next couple of weeks, and won’t suit up for game action.

On one hand, that puts him a little behind the eight ball, and increases the chances he’ll get off to a bit of a sluggish start, as talented as he is. Most rookie pass rushers aren’t immediate impact players, after all, and McKinley seems set to lose some practice time. On the other hand, the team has a deep enough rotation that it’s not an immediate concern, and this gives some other young defensive ends a chance to push for roster spots or practice squad slots. Silver lining behind every cloud, my friends.

Let’s hope Takk is in action and dominating sooner than later.