The Minnesota Vikings suffered their fourth loss of the season in Week 5 when they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-20. But, that was the most damaging thing to the franchise on Sunday afternoon.
In the fourth quarter, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson looked to injure his hamstring when he fell awkwardly while running his route. The team didn’t release much information after, as they needed to see the extent of the injury before making a decision.
They have now made that decision and it is a brutal one, piling on what has already been a disastrous start to the campaign. The Vikings are going to be placing Jefferson on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the next four games.
The Vikings are doing this in part to ensure that he doesn’t push too hard to return to the field and make the injury worse. He won’t be eligible to return until Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints, at which point the team will determine if he is healthy enough to return.
These are the first games that Jefferson is going to miss in his career, as he went the first 3+ years without being sidelined. It is a brutal blow for the Vikings as he is an integral part of their offensive scheme and the go-to target for quarterback Kirk Cousins.
“Justin has done a phenomenal job for the last 3½ years of staying healthy and being healthy every week, which is hard to do,” Cousins said Sunday. “Even with this injury, it makes you pause and be grateful for how healthy he has been.”
Without him in the mix, things are going to drastically change when it comes to the team’s offensive schemes. He was off to another excellent start with 36 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns. Rookie Jordan Addison will be taking on a more prominent role along with K.J. Osborn and Brandon Powell.
People are going to be keeping a closer eye on the Vikings now ahead of the trade deadline. Without Jefferson, it is hard to imagine them finding more success when it comes to winning games. This injury could lead to them becoming sellers ahead of the deadline, moving on from some veterans such as Cousins, Osborn and Danielle Hunter.
