Getty Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings have begun organized team activities, which means the threat of injury has returned as well.
Wide receiver Jordan Addison — who recently inked a $13.7 million contract after the team selected him No. 23 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft in April — experienced his first taste of injury at the professional level during rookie minicamp.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t disclose the nature of that injury, though cited it as the reason Addison sat out practice on Tuesday, May 30. O’Connell added that the issue is “nothing serious at all,” cueing a collective sigh from Vikings Nation.
Kevin O’Connell said Jordan Addison is dealing with an injury that popped up late in rookie minicamp.
“Nothing serious at all,” KOC said. https://t.co/0oPEGTDWJQ
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) May 30, 2023
“Kevin O’Connell said Jordan Addison is dealing with an injury that popped up at minicamp,” Alec Lewis of The Athletic reported via Twitter.
Lewis’ tweet was a follow-up to his previous report that Addison was present at team facilities on Tuesday, though was not active during practice.
Jordan Addison Misses Vikings’ Practice, K.J. Osborn Suffers Scare
Courtesy of VikingsWide receiver Jordan Addison of the Minnesota Vikings suffered a minor injury during rookie minicamp in 2023.
Addison is expected to be a key piece of the offense this season and will compete for the No. 2 position on the depth chart with fourth-year wide receiver K.J. Osborn.
Osborn suffered a scare of his own at practice Tuesday when cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. attempted to make a play on a pass thrown to Osborn during practice. The two collided, after which Osborn hit the ground and landed on the football, knocking the wind out of himself.
Some back-and-forth from today with #Vikings WR K.J. Osborn. He had the wind knocked out of him after going to the ground making a catch with Andrew Booth Jr. in coverage.
“Yeah man, knocked the wind out of me. Whoo! I haven’t had that happen probably since like middle school, high school. I was trying to talk, but I couldn’t get that wind back. I’m good, though,” Osborn told Darren Wolfson of KSTP.
The wide receiver went on to give a play-by-play recap of exactly how the collision happened.
“Where the ball location was, I grabbed it. He tried to knock it down, of course. But, I mean, that’s a touchdown, so I’m trying to hold onto it,” Osborn continued. “So when I just came in to bring it down, I just fell on the ball. I would say it happens all the time, but it hasn’t happened to me much. But I’m gonna remember that one, though.”
Wolfson pressed Osborn, asking if it was the fire of competition that spurred the incident or something more.
“It’s football and being competitive,” Osborn explained. “He’s out there trying to work at his craft. He’s been working all offseason to get back out here. He’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s faster. I talked to him, I can tell. So, he’s excited to get out here. I’m excited to work and get better. You know, just competing. Of course, we wanna stay off the ground. But if it happens to go down, you know, we’ll abide it.”
Booth appeared in six games and earned one start for the Vikings during his rookie campaign in 2022 before he was sidelined due to a knee injury that required surgery.
Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn Crucial to Vikings’ Success This Season
GettyWide receiver K.J. Osborn of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to an NFC Wild Card playoff game against the New York Giants in January 2023.
With veteran wideout Adam Thielen now gone, Addison and Osborn will be crucial targets in the Vikings passing attack.
Osborn caught 60 passes for 650 yards and five scores last season, per Pro Football Reference. Two years ago, Addison won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best collegiate wide receiver, hauling in 100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 scores as a member of the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota’s top option at wide receiver, was named a first-team All-Pro in 2023 after leading the NFL in catches (128) and receiving yards (1,809) to go along with eight touchdowns.