With the outlook on the 2023 NFL season seemingly changing in just one play for the Minnesota Vikings, does the Kirk Cousins injury and current team situation at all change the plan for Justin Jefferson this season?
It is just a couple of the many factors in play when it comes to how the Vikings plan to handle their star wide receiver and his possible availability for the remainder of this season.
With Jefferson eligible to come off injured reserve this week, will we see the Vikings do so? It’s a simple question without a simple answer. Let’s take a closer look at Jefferson’s injury situation and talk about what we know as it pertains to a return date or timeline for the star pass catcher.
Justin Jefferson’s Timeline
In a perfect world, today would be the last game Jefferson would have to miss due to his current hamstring injury he sustained on Oct. 8. However, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the situation is far less clear than that.
Schefter states that although Jefferson is eligible to come off the list this week, there are still some boxes he needs to check in order to do so.
“Jefferson still has to meet with the doctors, the team has to decide how it wants to handle Jefferson, and there currently continues to be uncertainty about his status.”
The doctor’s side of things is one thing. Is he able to perform, and are doctors okay with clearing him for return? That decision seems simple enough as the facts are indisputable. However, where it gets tricky is with the second part — “the team has to decide how it wants to handle Jefferson.”
How Minnesota decides to handle the Jefferson situation may come down to the risk versus reward for a cornerstone player in what some may feel is now a lost season. Record-wise, the Vikings have fought to 4-4 and are right in the mix in the NFC playoff race.
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However, with Cousins now lost for the season due to a torn Achilles, the way the Vikings are viewing the season may have changed. The facts tell them that they’re in the mix for everything, but an honest evaluation post-Cousins injury may tell them something else.
It’s a situation worth monitoring to see if Minnesota decides to handle Jefferson and his return to action differently as a result.
Tough Road Ahead for the Vikings
With new Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall making his first NFL start today, a stretch of winnable games now become an interesting study for Minnesota. The Vikings square off against Taylor Heinicke and the Atlanta Falcons today, then proceed to play the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, and Chicago Bears.
Not a daunting schedule by any means, and a stretch that the team may have had a chance to gain ground on in the NFC playoff race with Cousins under center, now becomes a true mystery for the team.
Instead, now the Vikings will be forced to see if Hall is someone who can possibly be the future of this team. If he’s able to go out there and play a quality level of football, maybe then the focus can shift back to 2023 and their goals for the season. In the meantime, it feels very much like the Vikings are on a fact-finding mission right now.