Vikings rumors: Kirk Cousins return appetite, Justin Jefferson concerns, Dobbs leash length
- Josh Dobbs leash in Minnesota
- Justin Jefferson's return timeline is in question
- A Kirk Cousins return is of discussion
By Josh Wilson
Justin Jefferson's return timeline is up in the air... Cause for concern?
Adam Schefter dropped a not-so-happy bombshell on Vikings fans Sunday morning leading into Week 9. Justin Jefferson's return timeline is entirely up in the air:
Vikings’ Pro Bowl wide receiver Justin Jefferson is eligible to come off the injured reserve this week from a hamstring injury that was expected to sideline him four to six weeks. But Jefferson still has to meet with the doctors, the team has to decide how it wants to handle… pic.twitter.com/dL5FFvlNIY
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 5, 2023
Though Jefferson is eligible to get off the injured list this week, he still has to meet with team doctors and the team is unsure of how it will move forward with Jefferson. Schefter said his sources report there continues to be, "uncertainty about his status."
Jefferson went on the injured list with a hamstring injury after Week 5, making him eligible to get back to the team soon. But plenty has changed since he last played in a game. The team was 1-4 when he went out. That has improved to 4-4, but the overall outlook might actually be bleaker now that Cousins is out for the year.
The injured list timeline is never an exact indicator of a true return timeline. Injuries don't recover with arbitrary timelines, each one can be different from the next, subject to the intricacies of each player's body. That said, it's curious that Jefferson has yet to meet with team doctors, though it's hard to determine if that should be cause for concern at this point. One thing worth considering for the Vikings is how much value they get from Jefferson rushing out to play.
Though there might be some optimism that there's an outside chance the Vikings are complete enough outside of quarterback to string together a playoff push, anyone honest about things would admit the Vikings are now a longshot to make the postseason. Is it worth risking longer-term injury to Jefferson? Maybe they delay his return until he feels a true 100 percent so he can do just enough for the remainder of this year to keep things loose for next year.