Vikings' Jamal Adams Done for 2026 Season With Knee Injury
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- Jamal Adams was placed on season-ending injured reserve Monday after a right knee injury suffered in the Vikings' 13-10 preseason victory over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
- Coach Kevin O'Connell said he was "crushed" for Adams and "we're going to miss him," after the veteran stumbled in pass coverage with no contact early in the second quarter and was carted to the locker room.
- The Vikings signed undrafted rookie cornerback Bryce Phillips out of San Diego State to fill the roster spot; Phillips had previously been waived by Kansas City when the Chiefs signed defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah last week.
- Adams, 30, signed with Minnesota on the eve of training camp in part because of his familiarity with general manager Nolan Teasley from their shared time with the Seattle Seahawks.
- Adams' role in Minnesota shifted mid-training camp: after initially working as a linebacker — the position he'd played with the Raiders last season — the Vikings changed his number from 54 to 32 and moved him back to safety in three-safety packages.
- Adams' injury history has limited him significantly in recent years: just 1 game played in 2022, 9 in 2023, and 5 in 2024, before appearing in all 17 games as a part-time player with the Raiders last season.
Why it matters: Minnesota invested in Adams to anchor its three-safety looks, and he was carted off the field after suiting up for only one preseason game. With Adams done for 2026, the Vikings are leaning on an undrafted rookie and a reshuffled secondary plan heading into the regular season.
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