The season started poorly and only worsened for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings plan to place Justin Jefferson on injured reserve because of the hamstring injury he suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday morning, per sources informed of the situation.
Pelissero added that the precise schedule will be determined by how Jefferson reacts to the treatment. However, being placed on IR means the star wide receiver will miss a minimum of four games.
Jefferson left Sunday’s loss prematurely in the fourth quarter and did not come back.
On Monday, coach Kevin O’Connell said Jefferson would seek multiple medical opinions on his injured hamstring — a sign the initial diagnosis wasn’t rosy.
The coach pointed out that due to Jefferson’s competitive spirit, the team may need to “shield him slightly from his own intensity.” To ensure he has sufficient time to recover completely, the club might consider putting the wide receiver on injured reserve, which would require him to sit out at least four games before returning to play.
In the meantime, the Vikes will attempt to plow forward without one of the best receivers in the NFL. Rookie wideout Jordan Addison, who led Minnesota with six catches for 64 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, figures to see the most significant uptick in targets sans Jefferson. K.J. Osborn must also step up to fill the void. And tight end T.J. Hockenson will likely see his target-share increase with Jefferson on the shelf.
The Vikings got off to a 1-4 start to open the season, with the only victory coming over a winless Carolina Panthers club. The most optimistic part of the poor opening stage was that Jefferson, Kirk Cousins and the offense were gobbling up yards. If they could stop turning it over, they could keep pace with seemingly anyone. Now, with Jefferson out for at least four weeks, that theory will be put to the test.
Minnesota’s next four games are in Chicago, versus San Francisco, at Green Bay, and at Atlanta.
