A New Injury Update Just Dropped on Jalen Nailor
Over the past few weeks, Jalen Nailor’s health has become a key storyline for the Minnesota Vikings.
A new injury update arrived on Vikings WR Jalen Nailor, giving onlookers fresh insight into his status and what it could mean for Minnesota’s offense.
The fourth-year speedster injured his hand in joint practices against the New England Patriots in August, and questions have remained about his Week 1 readiness.
But thanks to an update this week, all signs point to Nailor’s availability on Monday night when Minnesota opens its regular season.
The Jalen Nailor Injury Update Is In
Minnesota plays Chicago in six days, and Nailor’s prognosis is positive.
Jalen Nailor Trending in the Right Direction for Week 1
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweeted Sunday, eight days before the Vikings’ contest at Soldier Field: “The Vikings are optimistic about wide receiver Jalen Nailor (hand) playing Week 1 vs. Chicago barring a setback, per sources. Minnesota envisions a key role for Nailor, especially with Jordan Addison out via suspension.”
NBC Sports‘ Mike Florio added, “Nailor has been week-to-week with a hand injury suffered on August 14 in practice. He is projected to be the team’s starting slot receiver.”
“The Nailor injury, combined with the season-ending knee injury to receiver Rondale Moore and the three-game suspension that receiver Jordan Addison will serve to begin the year, prompted the Vikings to scour the trade market.”
Nailor reportedly underwent a recent procedure on his hand, which evidently had a quick turnaround.
All the Available Tools for J.J. McCarthy
Why is Nailor’s presence on the field so vital? Simple — the J.J. McCarthy era will begin at quarterback on September 8th, and it’s just better for the whole enterprise if he has all the tools at his disposal.
Addison on the suspension shelf is already a detriment. So is Moore’s season-ending knee ailment. In fact, not long ago, before Minnesota traded for Adam Thielen, alarm bells sounded about the receiving corps, especially because Justin Jefferson missed nearly all of training camp with a minor hamstring injury.
Nailor trending positively for the start of the season diminishes the fears. McCarthy will have some semblance of a full WR arsenal.
A Contract Year for Nailor
Meanwhile, 2025 is ultra-important for Nailor.
Minnesota drafted Nailor in 2022, meaning the final year of his rookie contract is now. To date, very few rumblings have suggested that Minnesota has worked on an extension, so had Nailor started the season on injured reserve or missed time at all, his contract year would be off to a rough start.
He may not return to Minnesota in 2026 — the Vikings drafted Maryland’s Tai Felton in Round 3 four months ago — but Nailor stands to earn a modest next paycheck from some NFL team in March.
Adam Thielen in the House
Moreover, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah swung a much-anticipated trade for Thielen one week ago.
For days, rumors swirled about Thielen returning to his home state, with the Vikings and Carolina Panthers stuck on compensation to consummate the deal. Eventually, Minnesota included a 4th-Round draft pick in the swap, enabling Thielen to return home. He’s on deck for WR2 duty in the season’s first three games without Addison and WR3 service when Addison returns.
Yes, the Week 1 WR crew will very much feel like 2022 with Jefferson, Thielen, and Nailor on the field at Chicago. The club is only missing K.J. Osborn, who is ironically a free agent after the Washington Commanders severed ties last week.
ESPN on Nailor
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted on Nailor: “Nailor injured his left hand Aug. 14 during training camp and has not been seen on the field since. At the time, coach Kevin O’Connell classified Nailor’s injury as ‘week-to-week.'”
“Nailor’s absence, along with the three-game suspension of receiver Jordan Addison, helped spur the Vikings to acquire receiver Adam Thielen via trade. Thielen is likely to play a prominent role, and potentially start, alongside Justin Jefferson against the Bears.”
The Vikings are favored by 1.5 points to defeat the Bears.
“Nailor’s availability would give the Vikings a reliable set of veterans for their three-receiver sets. The only other receivers on the Vikings’ 53-man roster are both rookies: Tai Felton, a third-round draft pick from Maryland, and Myles Price, an undrafted free agent from Indiana,” Seifert added.
“The Vikings lost receiver Rondale Moore for the season during the preseason because of a left knee injury. Nailor caught a career-high 28 passes for 414 yards and six touchdowns last season. His contract will expire after the 2025 season, at which point he will be an unrestricted free agent.”
Nailor should nestle into a WR4 role when Addison returns to the lineup in Dublin, Ireland, assuming no other WR injuries emerge.
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