Vikings won't activate Justin Jefferson for Sunday's game against Saints

Justin Jefferson will have to wait another week to return to action. The Vikings won’t activate their superstar receiver for Sunday’s game against the Saints.

This news comes from Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. He shared on X (formerly Twitter) that the Vikings’ plan was to “always … ramp him up gradually and that will continue.” Before Saturday, Minnesota listed him as questionable.

Jefferson practice this week. But he hasn’t seen game action since he strained his hamstring against the Chiefs last month. He’s already missed four games.

The #Vikings won’t activate WR Justin Jefferson from injured reserve for Sunday’s game vs. the #Saints.

Jefferson (hamstring) returned to practice this week and was listed as questionable. But the plan was always to ramp him up gradually and that will continue. pic.twitter.com/R3hAXG450j

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 11, 2023

Activations usually come on Saturday. The Vikings (5-4) did do some juggling with their active roster. They signed linebacker Nick Vigil to the 53-man roster. He had been on the practice squad. They also elevated quarterback Sean Mannion and defensive lineman T.J. Smith from the practice squad. Finally, they re-signed defensive lineman Sheldon Day to the practice squad roster.

Mannion is there for depth at quarterback. The Vikings announced this week that newly acquired quarterback Josh Dobbs will start against the Saints. Minnesota traded for him, Oct. 31, and Dobbs, coming off the bench, led the Vikings to a come-from-behind victory over the the Falcons. The former Tennessee star also accomplished a rarity. He became the first player in league history to throw for for at least three touchdowns in back-to-back games for two different teams.

Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles and is out for the year. Rookie Jarren Hall started last Sunday’s game, but he’s now in concussion protocol.

Meanwhile, Jefferson returned to practice, Wednesday, and the Vikings activated the 21-day window to move him from IR to the active roster. He practiced Wednesday through Friday. The team listed as as limited in each of the three practices.

Until the team placed him on IR last month, Jefferson had never missed a start. The Vikings selected the former LSU star in the first round of the 2020 draft. In three years plus the five games he played this fall, Jefferson has caught 360 passes for 5,396 yards and 28 touchdowns. Before his injury, Jefferson had 36 receptions. That had been tied for sixth best in the NFL. His 571 yards ranked third in the league.

Minnesota got off to a hideous start to the season. But the Vikings have won four games in a row, all without Jefferson. And now they won with a quarterback who didn’t even know his teammates.