Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was taken off the field on a cart Wednesday with an ankle injury suffered while trying to make a catch against Cleveland’s first-team defense during a joint practice.
Addison, who had 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie last season, was treated on the field before being driven off for further treatment and evaluation.
The sight of Addison, a 2023 first-round pick out of Southern California and Minnesota’s No. 2 receiver, was a jarring one for the Vikings after rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy was declared out the season hours earlier following knee surgery.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he doesn’t believe Addison’s injury is serious.
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“We’ll make sure we go through all the processes and get some pictures of really knowing exactly what it is,” O’Connell said. “But I think he’s going to be all right. You hate to see that, especially early in the practice like it was.”
O’Connell ruled Addison out of Wednesday’s practice with the Browns, but didn’t know how much time the 22-year-old will miss.
“I know we’re going to evaluate him,” he said. “I don’t believe it to be something that’s going to allow him to practice tomorrow. But I also am hopeful to get some good news on kind of what that timeline looks like. I just have no idea.”
The Vikings got another scare when wide receiver Thayer Thomas went down later in the workout.
Thayer was on the ground for several minutes before being helped to his feet. He walked off under his own power.
While he was down, O’Connell walked over and talked to Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. O’Connell said the conversation had nothing to do with Cleveland’s aggressive play on a day the defense got the better of Minnesota’s first-team offense.
O’Connell said he was simply telling Schwartz to make sure they gave their players a break and got them hydrated. He insisted it didn’t have anything to do with rough play.
“Not at all,” he said. “I thought it was a physical practice and exactly what you hope to accomplish. Guys are gonna get juiced up but nothing even near crossing the line, just getting really good work.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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