Vikings Bracing for Serious WR Injury News After Trade Report

 
Getty

Vikings wide receivers Jalen Nailor (83) and Justin Jefferson (18) celebrate a Week 2 touchdown against the 49ers during the 2024 season.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Minnesota Vikings are exploring veteran receivers in the trade market, causing some concern about the health of Minnesota’s wide receiver room.

While Justin Jefferson is expected to be ready for Week 1 despite sitting out most of training camp with a hamstring strain, a recent injury has hit Jalen Nailor and could be serious.

Nailor was the presumed fill-in for Jordan Addison, who is suspended for the first three games of the 2025 season due to an alcohol-related offense.

However, Nailor suffered a hand injury during joint practices with the New England Patriots that appears to be serious, prompting Pelissero to sound the alarm that the Vikings are entering the trade market for help.

Meanwhile, Nailor is considered week-to-week, and there is some suspicion that he sought a second opinion on his hand injury.

With Jordan Addison suspended and multiple injuries, the #Vikings are seriously exploring veteran receivers in the trade market, per sources.

All-Pro Justin Jefferson (hamstring) is on track for Week 1. His early-season running mate may not be on the roster. pic.twitter.com/9dRToHdgvY

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 20, 2025
 
Jalen Nailor Facing Career Crossroads Amid Injury Concerns
 
GettyJalen Nailor during the Vikings’ 2023 season opener.
A 2021 sixth-round pick, Nailor is in the final year of his rookie deal and has a prime opportunity to prove himself as a capable second wide receiver in Addison’s absence — meaning the injury couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell expressed that he doesn’t foresee Nailor’s injury being long-term.

O’Connell told local media that they will continue to hold Nailor out after the Patriots preseason game, which Nailor did not play in.

“We’re more than likely going to hold him out for now. I do feel good about where we’re at with that. I think as we roll here, it’s going to continue to give us answers on the rest of that room,” he said. “We got some more information in the game, we got some more information in the joint practices, even when Jalen was out there, so we’ll just continue to build that together. I would consider it week-to-week at this point, knowing we’ve got three weeks out from that opener that we can ramp him back up.”

The window for Nailor to make a major impact may have closed, given that the Vikings are exploring the trade market.

KSTP’s Darren Wolfson suspected Nailor may have sought a second opinion on his hand injury, although what the next steps are for the 26-year-old receiver remain to be seen.

 
Justin Jefferson Returns to Practice After Month-Long Absence
 
GettyJustin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates his touchdown catch with mascot Viktor the Viking.
While McCarthy continues to practice with a depleted receiver corps, Jefferson took a step toward returning to practice and developing chemistry with the young quarterback this week.

After a month-long absence, Jefferson appears to be on a prolonged ramp-up plan by the Vikings to ensure he’s ready for the season opener.

“You’ll see him [at practice],” O’Connell said when asked about Jefferson’s status for Week 1. “He will begin to take part in practice. It’ll be kind of a ramp-up. You’ll see him take part in bits and pieces of it here, but he will officially be back to work and be ramping up from here. So glad you asked.”
Trevor Squire is a sports journalist covering the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Trevor studied journalism at the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities, making stops at the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @trevordsquire. More about Trevor Squire