BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Vikings dodged a second important harm loss in two days.
Minnesota No. 2 huge receiver Jordan Addison is anticipated to overlook a while with a left ankle harm sustained on Wednesday — simply hours after Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy was dominated out for the season following knee surgical procedure.
Whereas it’s not recognized precisely how lengthy Addison might be sidelined, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned Thursday that the 22-year-old, who had 70 catches and 10 touchdowns final season as a rookie, isn’t critically damage.
“He’ll work via the rehab course of and (we) stay up for getting him again as quick as potential,” O’Connell mentioned after the second of two joint practices towards the Browns. “Don’t see him lacking any prolonged time or something like that.”
Addison bought damage when he appeared to step on a Cleveland defender’s foot after leaping to attempt to catch a cross from Vikings beginning quarterback Sam Darnold. He bought up and tried to stroll earlier than stumbling and needing help. He was pushed off the sector on a cart.
Star receiver Justin Jefferson mentioned he felt assured Addison wasn’t damage too badly.
“I imply I sort of seen it from the sector, seen when it occurred that it wasn’t going to be a significant harm,” Jefferson mentioned. “However it at all times sucks to see your most important man, a starter go down with an harm like that and he’ll be down for just a few weeks.
“However we want him for Week 1 and so long as we bought him for Week 1, we’re good.”
The Vikings open the common season on Sept. 8 on the New York Giants.
A primary-round choose in 2023, Addison was sensational in his first season and proved to be an ideal complement to Jefferson, one of many NFL’s most gifted receivers.
O’Connell additionally mentioned huge receiver Thayer Thomas is in concussion protocol after getting damage on Wednesday and linebacker Blake Cashman wanted stitches for an unspecified harm and must be again quickly.
The Vikings have been nonetheless processing the jarring information about McCarthy, who tore meniscus in his knee in some unspecified time in the future in his preseason debut final week towards Las Vegas.
Whereas McCarthy in all probability wasn’t going to win the beginning job, he was pushing Darnold, who signed a one-year contract with Minnesota to function a bridge because the Vikings developed a youthful QB.
“Clearly very unhappy information,” mentioned Darnold.
McCarthy won’t take any snaps in his first season, however Darnold mentioned the previous Michigan star can profit in different methods.
“There’s a lot you can study from being sidelined or with the ability to watch throughout observe, watch the tape from video games,” he mentioned. “Even simply being on the sideline throughout video games, there’s a ton you can study from being sidelined.”
Jefferson agreed, saying McCarthy can draw off the assist from teammates as he works his approach again.
“It’s robust to have to sit down out even longer and fulfill that dream that you just’ve been dreaming, however we’re going to be proper behind him this entire whole time,” Jefferson mentioned. “We’re at all times going to offer him that spirit, that uplifting spirit of all the things’s going to be OK and he can simply take this trip and actually study the system, find out how all the things goes.”
NOTES: O’Connell hasn’t determined how a lot he’ll play his starters in Saturday’s exhibition towards the Browns. … Vikings WR Trishton Jackson was engaged in some heated trash discuss with a visitor of one of many Browns gamers. After catching a TD cross, Jackson sprinted out of the top zone with the ball, trying to present it to the one that by then had quieted down. … Jefferson had some 1-on-1 battles towards Browns DB Martin Emerson Jr., whom he believes might be elite. “He’s an extended, bodily nook and he’s undoubtedly going to trigger some issues on the market on the sector,” Jefferson mentioned. “It’s nice to go up towards corners like that to offer me further work or simply put an additional little enhance in my play fashion.”
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