Has Kevin O’Connell dropped a hint about the long-term future of star receiver Justin Jefferson? Hopeful Vikings fans will be reading into comments made by the Vikings head coach on The Pat McAfee Show Monday.
“Justin Jefferson has killed his rehab so far, he’s in a great spot,” O’Connell said when discussing the receiver’s rehab and return. “We’re just now to the point where we could possibly open up his window, we’ll keep evaluating that throughout the week, maybe we can get him going here this week. I can tell you one thing Justin is so important, not only for every opportunity this season but for many, many more, hopefully, years to come as a Minnesota Viking.”
Oh? Many, many more years to come as a Minnesota Viking?
That can just be a head coach publicly stating his desire for an all-world receiver to remain on the team. But despite the “hopefully” qualifier, it could also speak to a conference that O’Connell has that a deal could be, at long last, close at hand between the Vikings and the best receiver in the league.
“So we’re going to make sure that we’re ultra-sensitive to getting him back to 100-percent before he’s out there,” O’Connell continued. “And as well as he’s done with his rehab, we still have to be smart and make sure we’re looking out for Justin.”
Jefferson has missed the previous four weeks while on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in the Vikings’ Week 5 loss to the Chiefs. Before his injury, Jefferson’s 571 receiving yards was among the league leaders.
Now that four weeks have passed since putting Jefferson on the injured reserve list, the Vikings can open up the receiver’s 21-day practice window. Once they do that, they have 21 days to either activate him to the 53-man roster or shut him down for the season.
“Justin will be back out there when he’s ready to roll and nobody will be more happy about that than me,” O’Connell said.
