As the 2025 season creeps in, it’s safe to pencil in another 1,000-yard year for Justin Jefferson—because when a guy racks up 1,074 yards in just 10 games with a bum hamstring, you don’t bet against him. Yes, we’re talking about his 2023 season, which was followed by a 1,500+ yard season in 2024. But as Vikings camp opened, guess who showed up uninvited?

Unfortunately, that same hamstring. But the different leg. Kevin O’Connell says it’s just a “mild left hamstring strain,” but even a cameo from this old nemesis is enough to make Minnesota fans hold their breath. Jefferson reportedly made one of those vintage leaping grabs on the sideline—textbook stuff—before taking a spill after a little accidental bump from Jeff Okudah. He popped up fast, dapped up his teammate like all was cool, but then?

That was it. Helmet off. Standing on the sidelines the rest of practice, just watching. No drama, no limping—just enough to spark a few raised eyebrows. But the 26-year-old wideout chose to shrug it off, claiming it’s just the second day of the camp, not the 30th. Plus, there was some optimism about his return by week 1. “I’m fine after that catch, for sure,” he said, as per SI, confirming that he sat out as a precaution.

“But just having a little bit of tightness. Of course, with the past recent injuries and the stuff that I have gone through before, just taking precaution and understanding that it’s the second day of camp, not the 30th. So just making sure that I’m fully healthy and I’m good to go, especially when the season starts.” Jefferson hasn’t missed a single game in four of his first five seasons with the Vikings.

Back in Week 5 of the 2023 season, Jefferson tweaked that hamstring against the Chiefs, and just like that, Minnesota shut him down and placed him on IR. Fast forward to Week 14 against the Raiders, and he finally made his comeback. A couple of grabs for 27 yards gave fans a little taste… before he took a hard hit and exited with a chest injury. It was supposed to be a return party, but it turned into another setback.

As far as the 2025 training camp is concerned… well, there’s at least something to be optimistic about. And it’s Justin Jefferson’s confidence. The hamstring strain isn’t severe. The Vikings haven’t announced the timeline of Jefferson’s return, but he’s likely to be available for the Week 1 showdown in September. For the time being, the wideout will reportedly be re-evaluated next week.

Takeaways from the Vikings’ training camp besides Justin Jefferson’s injury

Training camp is always a key stop on the offseason road, but in Minnesota, it somehow turned into the compass that sets the direction for everything ahead. The Vikings have trusted their second-year quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, who, by the way, is yet to make his debut in the pros. And just like that, all eyes shifted to McCarthy on day 1 of the camp. And if you’ve been watching McCarthy’s first-day highlights, then the most exciting clip would probably be a deep pass to Jordan Addison.

The stage was set. Seven-on-seven drill, the quarterback looked off defenders by staring down the middle of the field, then spotted Addison wide open on the right. He threw it deep, Addison dove for it, grabbed the pass, and jogged into the end zone. The throw was impressive. But most importantly, the folks out there noticed McCarthy’s efficiency and carefulness. The quarterback took smart risks and made mature decisions even when things weren’t open.

Meanwhile, Josh Metellus‘ contract extension has been the talk of the town lately. And as the training camp is in motion, one question emerged: How much did the safety participate in the practice? Well, amidst the contract extension negotiation, the 27-year-old didn’t miss any team snaps on Wednesday. Plus, he sounded optimistic about getting a new contract soon.

“Things have been going good,” he said. “The dialogue has been going good. So I’m not too worried about what’s going on (on the business side). I’m just doing my part to be here for the team.” Metellus didn’t miss any snaps on Wednesday, sure. But he did hold out this spring. The team kept it quiet, but honestly, a player skipping out during contract talks isn’t exactly breaking news. That said, McCarthy is connecting with his receivers in the training camp. Meanwhile, Justin Jefferson has been sidelined from the camp as of now.