Vikings Officially Place WR Justin Jefferson On IR, Make Seven Other Moves

The Minnesota Vikings announced they officially placed WR Justin Jefferson on injured reserve. 

Minnesota also placed QB Nick Mullens on injured reserve and promoted WRs N’Keal Harry and Trishton Jackson from the practice squad. 

https://twitter.com/Vikings/status/1712155877635973401?s=20

The Vikings also signed QB Sean Mannion, WR Dan Chisena, and TE Troy Fumagalli to their practice squad, while they also designated RB Kene Nwangwu to return from injured reserve.

Jefferson suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 and will now miss at least the next four weeks as he recovers. 

Yesterday, Adam Schefter pointed out the Vikings are 1-4 and if they are out of contention, there’s not a lot of incentive for Jefferson to rush back and risk further injury, especially because the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term deal. 

He notes Jefferson’s absence could be for longer than expected. 

Jefferson, 24, was a two-year starter at LSU and set the single-season record for receptions in 2019 before being selected by the Vikings with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Jefferson is entering the fourth year of a four-year, $13,122,805 rookie contract that included a $7,103,858 signing bonus. The Vikings picked up Jefferson’s fifth-year option which will cost them $19,743,000 fully guaranteed for the 2024 season. 

In 2023, Jefferson has appeared in five games for the Vikings and recorded 36 receptions on 53 targets for 571 yards and three touchdowns. 

Mullens, 27, wound up signing on with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Miss back in 2017. He was waived coming out of the preseason and later added to their practice squad.

The 49ers brought Mullens back on a futures contract in 2018 only to release him at the start of the regular season. Mullens had a brief stint on their practice squad before being called up following Jimmy Garoppolo‘s season-ending knee injury.

Mullens re-signed as an exclusive rights free agent heading into 2020 but San Francisco declined to tender him as a restricted free agent. The Eagles signed him to a contract before releasing him and he eventually caught on with the Browns.

Mullens signed with the Raiders as a backup to QB Derek Carr but was traded to the Vikings for a 2024 seventh-round pick.

In 2022, Mullens appeared in four games for the Vikings and completed 21 of 25 passes for 224 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.