A short time after the Minnesota Vikings activated the 21-day practice window for Justin Jefferson’s return from the IR, head coach Kevin O’Connell said the star wideout return to the field against the Saints Sunday would be “a little aggressive.”
The Vikings now have 21 days to activate Jefferson to the 53-man roster or shut him down for the season, with the receiver having been on the IR for four weeks due to a hamstring injury suffered in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Minnesota have gone 4-0 since Jefferson’s absence, with rookie receiver Jordan Addison stepping up in the interim, catching 22 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns the past four games.
The eventual return of Jefferson will certainly alleviate some pressure on an offense that has lost QB Kirk Cousins and RB Cam Akers to season-ending Achilles injuries over the last two weeks. Quarterback Josh Dobbs, who was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his off-the-bench heroics against Atlanta, will welcome the return of an elite weapon.
Jefferson’s 571 receiving yards were near the top of the league when he went down and are still good enough for 18th in the league.
With Sunday’s game against the Saints deemed “a little aggressive,” O’Connell will be looking at whether Jefferson will be fit to return when the Vikings visit the Broncos on Sunday Night Football in Denver on November 19.
