Can the 49ers cover Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson man to man? He hopes they try

Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson hopes Sunday’s opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, are confident enough that they assign a single defender to try to cover him man to man.

“I feel like I haven’t gotten man-to-man coverage in a very long time,” Jefferson said Thursday.

Jefferson has an inkling, however, that this is the week he sees a sprinkle of single coverage against a 49ers defense that boasts Pro Bowl cornerback Charvarius Ward and Pro Bowl safety Talanoa Hufanga. San Francisco had the league’s 10th-highest man-to-man coverage rate (33%) against the Jets in Week 1, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s a tendency Jefferson hopes to see plenty of Sunday.

“I love man-to-man coverage,” said Jefferson, who caught four balls for 59 yards and a touchdown against the Giants. “That’s something that I feed off of. ... We feel like we’re going to get man coverage throughout the game. We just feel like we need to win those one-on-one battles.”

“They have a pretty consistent tendency of how they play the No. 1 receiver,” he added. “We have a game plan for that. We’ve been in the film room.”

Jefferson said he’s implored quarterback Sam Darnold “countless times” to trust him when he sees man coverage opportunities — such as the 44-yard toss in Sunday’s victory at New York.

Jefferson needs four catches to become the third-fastest player in NFL history with 400 receptions by his 62nd game. Only Michael Thomas (56) and Odell Beckham Jr. (61) reached that mark in fewer games.

Big plays can help replicate the environment from last year’s Vikings victory over the 49ers on “Monday Night Football,” when Jefferson watched from the sideline in his second game out because of a hamstring strain.

“Electric,” Jefferson said. “I just remember the stadium being very loud, very electric with the fans and us making a whole bunch of plays. Of course, [Jordan Addison] had a huge game. That was pretty much his start of really him being who he is today. But I’m excited to now be in the same position, but now me playing this time.”

Addison may not be playing this time, after missing his second practice this week because of an ankle injury. Safety Harrison Smith was notably absent from the start of Thursday’s practice and was listed as being held out due to a hip injury. The timing of Smith’s injury indicates the issue arose after Wednesday’s practice, when he wasn’t listed on the report. He played 68 defensive snaps in Sunday’s victory against the Giants. Good news for the Vikings is outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (foot) returned to practice in limited fashion after missing Wednesday. Right tackle Brian O’Neill (elbow) and center Garrett Bradbury (knee) were also limited Thursday.

Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said Tuesday, when he signed a two-year contract extension, was “one of the best days of my life.” Phillips, 28, was entering the final year of a three-year deal he initially signed with the Vikings in 2022. The first-year team captain was hopeful a new contract would get done before Week 1, but the sides needed longer to agree. Phillips said he knew the team had pennies to pinch.

“I understood, too, from a player perspective, that we needed to address our quarterback situation,” Phillips said. “We needed to figure out our Justin Jefferson situation. We needed to lock up one of the best offensive tackles [Christian Darrisaw] in the NFL. Just prayed a lot and understood my time would come.”

Phillips got $10.26 million fully guaranteed at signing, which includes part of his 2025 salary, and a base value of $15 million. He can earn an extra $4 million through incentives or salary escalators on the deal that runs through the 2026 season.

“You can go out to free agency and maybe earn yourself some more money,” he said. “That’s great. But at the end of the day, what’s your happiness? How can you measure that? How can you measure my wife and our house and our dog ... and my organization, Harrison’s Playmakers, and what we’ve been able to do in the cities?”

The flurry of former Rams coaches on the Vikings staff, starting with coach Kevin O’Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, add some animosity to Sunday’s matchup with the 49ers, their former NFC West Division rival. Receiver Brandon Powell, another former Rams player, said he “hates” the 49ers.

But running back Aaron Jones said he’ll be going up against one of his best friends, former Gophers and Packers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who signed a one-year deal with the 49ers in March.

“[Our sons] go to school together here in Lakeville,” Jones said. “I practiced against him for [three] years. Then we get to training camp and I’m doing one-on-ones against him. I feel like it’s a familiar matchup, but first time playing against him” in a game.

This is the fourth Vikings-49ers meeting in the past five years; the Vikings are 1-2 in those previous games.

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