Vikings' Justin Jefferson on shoulder injury: 'Just gotta hold through it'

When Justin Jefferson sprained the AC joint in his left shoulder on Aug. 6, walking off the field after he'd landed hard after a diving catch attempt, he was initially worried he'd done something serious.

X-rays and further testing calmed his fears, though, and locker room conversations with teammates let him know how common the injury actually was.

"Pretty much like 90 percent of the guys in the locker room [had] AC [sprains] before," the Vikings wide receiver said. "So they're telling me different stories and stuff. They're telling me it's going to linger, but I mean, just gotta hold through it."

Jefferson said his range of motion is "pretty good now" after the injury, though he's still working some soreness out of it. He was limited to individual drills in practice Tuesday, after catching a swing pass in his one full-team snap during Monday's practice.

Jefferson likely won't play Saturday against the Colts in the second preseason game, Mike Zimmer said, though the coach added he could change his mind.

"Don't hold me to it," Zimmer said.

If the second-year receiver doesn't play before the start of the regular season on Sept. 12, though, his record-setting rookie year — which came after preseason games were canceled in 2020 — gave him plenty of assurance he'll be fine.

"My answer will always be, [I want to] be out there with my teammates. But whatever happens, happens. That's his decision, I guess," Jefferson said. "I didn't get any [preseason snaps] last year, so I think I'll be pretty good if I don't get any."

Blake Brandel, a sixth-round pick a year ago, stepped in with both the first- and second-team offenses at the end of the Vikings' second practice with the Broncos last week after Rashod Hill — who's been starting at left tackle with rookie Christian Darrisaw hurt — left practice briefly with an injury.

The Vikings held Hill out of Saturday's game with Denver as well, and Brandel became the only player to see every snap on offense.

Oli Udoh has continued to play with the first team at right guard, and the fact the Vikings held Udoh out of Saturday's game would further suggest he's the favorite to land the starting job. Zimmer said the Vikings are "trying to keep [Udoh at guard] as much as possible," though he added Udoh would get some work at tackle in case he needed to move there during a game.

"But Brandel has done a really nice job. He did a nice job in the game on Saturday, so he's getting a lot of reps and might have to be a swing tackle. We'll just have to see, I guess."

Darrisaw, who had his second surgery of the year on a lingering groin injury, walked around the practice field Tuesday; Zimmer said team doctors had told him Darrisaw could be ready for the regular season, though even if he's healthy enough to play, the first-round pick might not have any time to practice, which could mean the left tackle job is Hill's to begin the year.

"Rashod has a lot of confidence, and when he's been in, he's played well, so we feel good about him in there," Zimmer said. "I think he's continued to get better this training camp, and hopefully it will continue going forward."

Linebacker Anthony Barr missed another practice, making a brief appearance on the field at the end of the session for the second consecutive day. Barr hasn't practiced since the first day of the Vikings' joint practices with the Broncos last week.

"He's got something that he's dealing with," Zimmer said.

The Vikings were also without tight end Tyler Conklin because of a hamstring injury he sustained Monday, though a source said tests showed the injury was minor. Defensive tackle James Lynch hasn't practiced since sustaining a minor ankle injury in the Broncos game, and running back Kene Nwangwu remained out after injuring his knee early in Saturday's game.

The Vikings were also without wide receiver Dede Westbrook, quarterback Nate Stanley and linebacker Cameron Smith, while wide receiver Chad Beebe, linebacker Troy Dye and safety Myles Dorn returned.