Training camp is set to start for the whole Vikings roster on Tuesday and their first selection in the 2020 NFL Draft will not be able to report. The Vikings announced on Monday afternoon that wide receiver Justin Jefferson will be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
The three other players placed on the same list were offensive linemen Blake Brandel and Tyler Higby and safety Brian Cole II.
The Vikings also announced earlier on Monday that the team’s head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman has also tested positive for COVID-19. The four rookies placed on the reserved/COVID-19 list did not have any contact with Sugarman.
Jefferson is going to have to play a key role on offense this year with the loss of wide receiver Stefon Diggs, the Vikings’ leading receiver in 2019 who was traded to the Bills. It hasn’t been confirmed if Jefferson is quarantining due to exposure to the virus or if he tested positive. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed out, it doesn’t mean they have it; they may have just been exposed to it.
This will be an interesting storyline to follow as the regular season approaches. Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer spoke to the media on Saturday afternoon and talked about how he has battled through adversity several times since arriving in Minnesota. This year seems no different.
