It appears the Minnesota Vikings survived quite an injury scare Friday after star receiver Justin Jefferson left the practice field clutching his left shoulder.
Jefferson, a second-year pro, suffered a sprained AC joint, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Rapoport reported Friday night that Jefferson underwent testing that "came out as good as possible" and is considered day-to-day.
Jefferson was lined up on the right side of the formation, drew a short pass from quarterbackKirk Cousins, and was tackled by cornerback Bashaud Breeland when he was injured, per KARE 11 News. He was in obvious pain, but the diagnosis allayed fears of a more serious injury.
Still, it remains to be seen how long Jefferson will need to return to the field. The Vikings host the Denver Broncos on Aug. 14 for their preseason opener.
Jefferson wasted no time establishing himself as one of the top receivers in the NFL as a rookie, ranking fourth in the league with 1,400 receiving yards. As the 22nd overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft, he proved to be just the tonic the Vikings offense needed after trading Stefon Diggs to the Bills. In fact, the Vikings acquired the pick used to draft Jefferson in the Diggs deal.
A healthy Jefferson is a lynchpin for the Vikings offense, along with Cousins and running back Dalvin Cook.
