Justin Jefferson Will Return to Vikings Practice This Week Amid Hamstring Injury Rehab

The Minnesota Vikings received some welcome news Monday when head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed wide receiver Justin Jefferson is returning to practice this week as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

"It will be kind of a ramp-up," O'Connell told reporters. "You'll see him take part in bits and pieces of it."

Having Jefferson available is always important for the Vikings given his status as one of the best receivers in the league, but it is even more critical in the early weeks of the 2025 campaign because of Jordan Addison's status.

The NFL suspended Addison for the first three games of the season because he violated the league's substances of abuse policy.

Minnesota is breaking in a new starting quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, and he will be in a much better position to succeed in the early going if he at least has Jefferson on the field while Addison is sidelined.

And Jefferson returning to practice weeks before the season opener against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 8 suggests he will likely be on the field.

There is no doubting the LSU product's impact with a resume that includes an Offensive Player of the Year, two First-Team All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl nods through five seasons. He has never fallen short of the 1,000-yard mark, including when injuries forced him to miss seven games in 2023.

Jefferson posted 103 catches for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and will likely add to his list of accolades in 2025 if he can remain healthy.

It is no surprise, then, that Minnesota is easing him back in, as his availability for the regular season is far more important than this stage of training camp and the preseason.