The Vikings activated wide receiver Justin Jefferson from injured reserve on Tuesday and they plan to have him in the lineup against the Raiders when they return from their bye week, but there’s less clarity about who will be throwing passes to Jefferson and the rest of the team’s receivers.
Josh Dobbs had a dreadful game against the Bears in Monday night’s 12-10 loss and head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t commit to starting him in Week 14 during his postgame press conference. That remained the case on Tuesday as O’Connell said that there is no “particular timeline” to choose between Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall — the Vikings released quarterback Sean Mannion from the practice squad and wide receiver N’Keal Harry from the active roster Tuesday — because all the players need to be “evaluated to see what gives us the best chance to win.”
O’Connell added that Jefferson’s return is “definitely part” of that process because the Vikings have to determine who will be able to “make sure he has a critical, critical impact on the football game.”
“We’re going to make sure that whoever is playing quarterback is aware and understands the intent behind plays where either Justin is the primary, or — based upon coverage, based upon the defensive look — how to quickly and efficiently get to the right place to go with the football,” O’Connell said. “In the end that’s what the NFL passing game is about: rhythm, timing, understanding that the defense can and will take some things away, but progressing in rhythm.”
O’Connell was careful to point out the contributions of T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison and others during Jefferson’s absence, but he left little doubt that he thinks the Vikings’ hopes for future offensive success will flow through having “the best receiver in football” as part of the passing attack.
