Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson took another major step toward returning to the field this week. His 21-day practice window was opened, meaning he has to be activated to the roster within that time or be placed on season-ending injured reserve.
He returned to practice in a limited fashion on Thursday and is chomping at the bit to get back into the lineup. Jefferson has been sidelined since Week 5 with a hamstring injury that was suffered in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The last four weeks he has been absent from the lineup as he was placed on short-term injured reserve. While he would love to get back out there this weekend, as it is the first game he is eligible to return for, he is taking a cautious approach to it.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said that Jefferson getting on the field this weekend against the New Orleans Saints would be an aggressive approach, something the team isn’t likely to take. Jefferson agreed with him, as he doesn’t want to return until he is 100 percent healthy.
That is the right approach for Jefferson and the Vikings to take. He has admitted how hard it is for him to sit out games, but he has taken the big-picture approach like a seasoned veteran. The team’s success in the last four weeks, as they are riding a four-game winning streak without Jefferson, certainly helps.
With the lofty goals Jefferson has for himself, he knows that he needs to be healthy and on the field. These four games were the first that he missed in his NFL career and he doesn’t want to make a habit of being on the sidelines.
Before the injury, Jefferson was on another tear. He caught 36 passes for 571 yards and three touchdowns in five games, once again on pace to shatter some records. Upon his return, he will be playing for a Vikings team back in the thick of the playoff race after a slow start to the 2023 season.
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