Vikings' Jamal Adams suffers right knee injury that 'doesn't look good'
Jamal Adams' season with the Vikings may be over before it starts after a right knee injury in Saturday's preseason opener, with an MRI set to confirm the initial exam.
The Vikings' biggest defensive addition of the offseason may not play a down in 2026. Jamal Adams suffered a right knee injury during Saturday's 13-10 preseason win over the Giants, and coach Kevin O'Connell did not sugarcoat the initial assessment.
Adams went down on a non-contact play in pass coverage — the same play that saw Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart connect with wide receiver Malachi Fields for a touchdown — after playing just 11 snaps. O'Connell said an MRI will confirm whether the initial exam's bleak outlook holds.
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell said Jamal Adams had a right knee injury and, while he didn't want to specify the injury, he said it was "not good."
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet): #Vikings defender Jamal Adams suffered a right knee injury that is "not good," coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters. MRI tomorrow on what could be a frustrating injury.
The 30-year-old signed with Minnesota on July 28, joining his fifth team in four years, and had been listed as the backup safety behind Jay Ward. O'Connell told reporters after the game that Adams had been "genuinely carving out a significant role for himself," making the timing of the injury especially tough for the locker room.
"We don't know exactly what that is yet, but we are going to wrap our arms around him top to bottom in our organization, and we're going to support him, because he's earned a lot of people's respect in a very short amount of time," O'Connell said.
Adams played all 17 games for the Raiders last season after appearing in only 14 over the previous three years. If the MRI confirms the worst, the Vikings would be without the veteran for the entire 2026 campaign before it begins.