EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings cornerback Cedric Griffin will have surgery to repair an injured left knee and might not be ready for the start of next season.
Griffin was hurt covering the overtime kickoff in Minnesota's loss at New Orleans in the NFC Championship Game. Coach Brad Childress said Tuesday that Griffin will have surgery within the next week, once some of the strength and range of motion returns in his knee.
Griffin led the Vikings with four interceptions this season and helped stabilize the secondary while fellow starting cornerback Antoine Winfield missed nearly two months with a broken right foot.
Childress didn't offer specific details of the injury, but said Griffin faces a recovery time of six to nine months. That puts his availability for training camp and the early part of next season in doubt.
"Everybody heals a little bit differently, so he'll be right on the edge I'm sure," Childress said.
Another defensive starter, middle linebacker E.J. Henderson, is uncertain for next season as well. Henderson badly broke his left thigh bone on Dec. 6, and he's still on crutches.
