Wide receiver a surprise inactive for Bengals

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 04: Tyler Boyd #83 of the Cincinnati Bengals is tackled by Sean Davis #28 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at Paul Brown Stadium on December 4, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 04: Tyler Boyd #83 of the Cincinnati Bengals is tackled by Sean Davis #28 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at Paul Brown Stadium on December 4, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Wide receiver Tyler Boyd is a surprising healthy scratch for the Cincinnati Bengals today in their game against the Vikings in Minnesota.

Four of the seven inactives were ruled out Friday with injuries — linebackers Vontaze Burfict (concussion) and Nick Vigil (ankle), running back Joe Mixon (concussion) and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (concussion) — but Boyd has not been on the injury report in weeks and has played in the last four games.

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The other two inactives are healthy scratches in offensive lineman Christian Westerman and defensive tackle Josh Tupou.

Westerman is active for the 29th time in 30 games since the team drafted him, even though offensive lineman T.J. Johnson went on season-ending Injured Reserve on Saturday.

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Undrafted Rookie Hardy Nickerson is expected to start at middle linebacker for Kevin Minter, who went on IR on Thursday, while rookie Jordan Evans will make his second consecutive start for Vigil at SAM linebacker. Vinny Rey will start for Burfict at WIL linebacker.

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