Minnesota Vikings Wiretap

Justin Jefferson's Revised Goal After Injury: 1,000 Yards

Dec 8, 2023 9:44 AM

After missing seven games due to a hamstring injury, Justin Jefferson has revised his goal for the 2023 season.

Originally hoping to break the NFL record for receiving yards in a season and eclipsing the 2,000-yard mark, the Minnesota Vikings receiver has reset his sights.

"Since I got hurt the new goal is 1,000 yards," Jefferson said. "I want to end every single year over 1,000 yards."

Jefferson has 571 receiving yards with five games left on Minnesota's schedule.

Kevin Seifert/ESPN

Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Misc Rumor

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Vikings Will Start Quarterback Who Can Maximize Justin Jefferson

Nov 29, 2023 8:48 AM

With Justin Jefferson returning from injured reserve, Kevin O'Connell says the Minnesota Vikings will start the quarterback that can best maximize the star wide receiver.

The Vikings are off in Week 13 and have three options at quarterback -- Josh Dobbs, Jaren Hall and Nick Mullins.

After Dobbs threw four interceptions Monday night in a 12-10 loss to the Chicago Bears, O'Connell said he would use the team's upcoming bye to reevaluate his options at the position.

On Tuesday, he said Jefferson's return is "definitely a part" of the discussion he'll have with his coaching staff and the team's front office before choosing a starter for the Vikings' Dec. 10 game at the Las Vegas Raiders. 

"Justin's role in our offense, really from Day 1 since we arrived here, has always been very, very significant," O'Connell said. "... Anytime you can infuse the best receiver in football back into your offense, there's going to be ways to not only get Justin going and make sure he has a critical impact on the football game ... [and] the quarterback position absolutely plays into that.

"We're going to make sure that whoever is playing quarterback is aware and understands the intent behind plays where either Justin is the primary [target], or based upon coverage, based upon the defensive look, how to quickly and efficiently get to the right place to go with the football. In the end that's what the NFL passing game is about: rhythm, timing, understanding that the defense can and will take some things away, but progressing in rhythm."

Kevin Seifert/ESPN

Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Misc Rumor

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Kevin O'Connell Won't Commit To Josh Dobbs After Vikings' Bye

Nov 28, 2023 8:36 AM

Kevin O'Connell wouldn't commit to Josh Dobbs as the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings after the team's 12-10 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

Dobbs threw four interceptions in the game, which was the Vikings' last before their bye week.

He was forced into emergency duty in Week 9, five days after the Vikings acquired him in an Oct. 31 trade with the Arizona Cardinals, when rookie Jaren Hall suffered a concussion.

"We're going to take a look and really evaluate the inventory of plays we have of Josh," O'Connell said. "We got healthy. We got Jaren back available to us, and then Nick Mullens is available as well."

Kevin Seifert/ESPN

Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Misc Rumor

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Vikings Cover Would Complete Historic Weekend For Favorites

Nov 27, 2023 8:49 AM

NFL betting history will be made on Monday night if the Minnesota Vikings cover as 3-point favorites against the Chicago Bears.

Favorites have covered the spread in 12 of 15 games in Week 12, tying the record for most in a single week (Week 12 of 2017) in the Super Bowl era.

David Purdum/ESPN

Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Misc Rumor

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Justin Jefferson Not Focused On 'Winning Your Fantasy Games'

Nov 22, 2023 9:27 AM

Justin Jefferson wants to return to the field for the Minnesota Vikings after missing six games with a hamstring injury, but the wide receiver isn't going to rush back.

He has been questionable for the past two weeks after the Vikings opened up his practice window on Nov. 8 after a stint on the injured reserve.

Jefferson posted on X that he is more concerned about his long-term health than helping fantasy football managers. He was the consensus No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts.

"My health is wayyyy more important than you winning your fantasy games. It doesn't matter how many times y'all flood my dms talking about me selling your team. I DONT CARE," he wrote.

The Vikings have an extra day to prepare this week as they'll face the Chicago Bears on Monday night, and Kevin O'Connell did tell reporters Monday that Jefferson will likely be questionable again. 

Tyler Sullivan/CBS Sports

Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Injury, Misc Rumor

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Justin Jefferson Won't Return Until He's 100 Percent

Nov 10, 2023 8:36 AM

Justin Jefferson won't return to the field for the Minnesota Vikings until he's 100%.

The Vikings opened his window for returning to practice this week as he rehabs an injured right hamstring.

"The hamstring is a difficult injury just because it lingers and it comes back from time to time if you don't put the right treatment into it," Jefferson said.

"The guys and the rest of the coaching staff in this building know my worth on the field and they want me at 100 percent, as I do as well. I don't want to go out there at 80 or 90 percent and have the chance of hurting it again. It's just day-to-day, and when that time comes, I'll definitely be ready to step out there."

The deadline for the Vikings to add him to their active roster is Nov. 29, which is during their bye week.

Kevin Seifert/ESPN

Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Injury, Misc Rumor

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Kevin O'Connell Expresses Hope That Kirk Cousins Will Return In 2024

Nov 1, 2023 9:10 AM

Kirk Cousins is done for the season with an Achilles injury and is due to become a free agent.

Despite that, Kevin O'Connell has expressed a desire to see Cousins return to the Minnesota Vikings.

"Kirk Cousins is going to be healthy again," O’Connell said. "I know he's going to be a free agent after this season, but Kirk knows how I feel about him and that will be something, you know, that hopefully will work itself out. ... You guys know how I feel about Kirk. Kirk knows how I feel about Kirk. I think he was playing as well as anybody in the National Football League."

Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk

Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Free Agent Rumor, Misc Rumor

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Vikings Acquire Joshua Dobbs From Cardinals

Oct 31, 2023 2:20 PM

The Minnesota Vikings have acquired Joshua Cobbs from the Arizona Cardinals for a sixth round pick. Arizona also sent a conditional seventh-round pick that can become a sixth-rounder based on Dobbs' play time.

Minnesota needed a quarterback after losing Kirk Cousins on Sunday to a torn Achilles. 

Dobbs has started the Cardinals' first eight games and has thrown for 1,569 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. The Cardinals are 1-7 this season.

Adam Schefter/ESPN

Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, Misc Rumor, Trade Rumor

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Kirk Cousins Tears Right Achilles In Vikings' Win

Oct 29, 2023 7:27 PM

The Minnesota Vikings are bracing for confirmation of a season-ending right Achilles tear for quarterback Kirk Cousins, an injury that will have cascading impact on the short- and long-term future of the organization.

Speaking after the Vikings' 24-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers, an otherwise rousing win that pulled their record even at 4-4 after an 0-3 start, coach Kevin O'Connell said the team was "fearing" an Achilles injury. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Cousins tore the Achilles, an outcome the team said it would not confirm until putting him through additional testing.

ESPN.com

Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Game Recap, Injury

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All Signs Point To Christian McCaffrey Playing MNF

Oct 22, 2023 12:11 PM

All signs point to San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey playing Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

McCaffrey officially is listed as questionable for the game after suffering an oblique injury during last Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Browns. The two-time Pro Bowler returned to practice as a limited participant Saturday after missing the two previous workouts and said afterward that he felt "great."

ESPN.com

Tags: San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, Injury

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