Vikings Lose Jamal Adams For Season With Knee Injury

Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Vikings will be without one of their most versatile defenders for the entire 2026 season.

Jamal Adams will miss the year because of a right knee injury he suffered Saturday in Minnesota’s 13-10 preseason win over the New York Giants, NFL Network reported Sunday. The injury happened early in the second quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Adams was picking up a crossing route, away from the play, when he stumbled on the turf on a Jaxson Dart touchdown pass to Malachi Fields.

He was examined in the sideline medical tent before being carted to the locker room. There was no contact on the play. Adams played 11 defensive snaps and had a tackle for loss on Devin Singletary late in the first quarter.

Head Coach Kevin O’Connell said after the game that the “initial exam does not look good,” but that the team wanted to see further imaging before making anything official. Those tests came back Sunday.

Adams signed with Minnesota on July 28th, on the eve of training camp, and had been taking heavy first-team reps in practice. He even switched his number from 54 to 32 as the Vikings began using him more at safety. He was brought in to be another versatile piece for Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores. The Jets took Adams sixth overall out of LSU in 2017.

The three-time Pro Bowler has also spent time with Seattle, Tennessee, Detroit and Las Vegas. Last season with the Raiders was the first time since 2018 he appeared in every regular-season game.The injury puts renewed attention on free-agent safety Harrison Smith, who has not officially retired.