The Minnesota Vikings have been struck by the injury bug this training camp.
They’ve already lost a starting cornerback in Mekhi Blackmon and their rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy to season-ending injuries. Blackmon tore his ACL while McCarthy tore his meniscus, and underwent a full repair surgery that will keep him out until 2025.
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Just hours after McCarthy’s surgery announcement, another starter, wide receiver Jordan Addison, was carted off the practice field with an apparent leg injury. After Wednesday’s practice, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Addison suffered an ankle injury, but he didn’t think it would be a long-term issue.
On Thursday, O’Connell spoke to reporters again, and had a slightly more in-depth update on his star receiver.
“He’ll work through the rehab process and (we) look forward to getting him back as fast as possible,” O’Connell said to reporters. “Don’t see him missing any extended time or anything like that.”
This is great news for the Vikings, who don’t want to be without their No. 2 receiver for too long as the regular season nears. Addison, the No. 23 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, had an impressive rookie season, reeling in 70 receptions for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Addison’s numbers dipped in the second half of the season following Kirk Cousins’ ruptured Achilles, but the team should have more stability at quarterback this year with Sam Darnold being the expected starter all year long.
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O’Connell didn’t have an exact timeline for Addison’s return, but fellow star wideout Justin Jefferson said he didn’t think it looked too serious.
“I kind of seen it from the field, seen when it happened that it wasn’t going to be a major injury,” Jefferson said to reporters. “But it always sucks to see your main guy, a starter go down with an injury like that and he’ll be down for a few weeks.
“But we need him for Week 1 and as long as we got him for Week 1, we’re good.”
The Vikings open their season on Sunday, Sept. 8 against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. They still have two more preseason games — Saturday, Sept. 17 against the Cleveland Browns and Saturday, Sept. 24 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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