One of the best wide receivers in the NFL could miss some time during training camp. Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson will undergo an MRI and be re-evaluated next week due to a mild right hamstring strain, head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Friday.
The team held Jefferson out of practice Friday due to the injury.
O’Connell attempted to downplay the issue, calling it a “very mild” hamstring injury.
While the team did not announce a timetable for Jefferson’s return, it doesn’t appear he’ll miss Week 1 due to the injury, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
The 26-year-old Jefferson missed time in 2023 due to a right hamstring injury. He entered Week 10 through Week 12 of that season listed as questionable on the team’s injury report due to the issue. Jefferson sat out all three contests and returned in Week 14.
Getting Jefferson back to full health before the start of the regular season is essential to the team for a number of reasons. When healthy, Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in football. Over his five seasons in the league, Jefferson had four Pro Bowl appearances, two first-team All-Pro selections, and won the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year award.
But with the Vikings transitioning to second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Jefferson’s health is even more important to the franchise. He’s capable of shaking loose from defenders to give McCarthy easier throws. And in the instances where a defender is draped all over Jefferson, he’s shown the ability to consistently win contested catches.
With Jefferson sidelined, Jordan Addison and Tai Felton figured to see more practice reps with the first team.
The Vikings don’t play their first preseason game until Aug. 9, giving Jefferson just over two weeks to get his hamstring right. Jefferson was unlikely to play in the contest even if he was 100 percent healthy, but it will still be worth monitoring his status as that game approaches.
