Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell Reveals WR’s Status After Major Training Camp Scare

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The Minnesota Vikings faced a scare during training camp Friday when star wide receiver Justin Jefferson reportedly suffered a hamstring injury in practice. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has since provided an update on the injury’s severity and Jefferson’s expected timeline for return.

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Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell Provides Latest on WR Justin Jefferson’s Hamstring Injury

Minnesota Vikings fans held their breath today when the news broke that superstar WR Justin Jefferson suffered a hamstring injury during the team’s training camp Friday.

The good news is that, according to HC Kevin O’Connell, the injury is just a mild strain. The head coach also announced that the star receiver will be out of practice for the foreseeable future and will be reevaluated by the team next week.

This is huge news for Vikings fans, as the team’s offense would struggle significantly without Jefferson. Over his five seasons with the team, he has established himself as one of the league’s top receivers.

So far in his career, Jefferson has recorded 495 catches, 7,432 yards, and 41 touchdowns. He boasts an impressive 1,640.8 yards per 17-game season average and currently holds the NFL record for the highest average receiving yards per game with 96.5.

While there is no exact timetable for his return, O’Connell reportedly assured fans that Jefferson avoided the worst and is expected to be ready for the team’s Week One matchup against the Bears on September 8.

While it’s great news that Jefferson is expected to be ready for Week One, the time he’ll miss during training camp will limit his ability to build chemistry with second-year quarterback and former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.

Jefferson has yet to play in an NFL game with McCarthy, and with the young quarterback now getting first-team reps, training camp was a crucial opportunity for the two to get on the same page.

RELATED: Vikings Star Justin Jefferson Makes Feelings Clear on J.J. McCarthy Ahead of QB’s First Season As Starter

McCarthy will be Jefferson’s third starting quarterback in six NFL seasons, and the wideout has produced with the previous ones, including Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold.

Even with the missed time, he should be able to develop a strong connection with McCarthy. It just might take a couple of games for them to fully get in sync. Regardless, the fact that Jefferson’s hamstring injury is not severe is the best possible news for the Minnesota Vikings, as the team’s passing offense relies heavily on him to succeed.

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