After a ton of buzz surrounding the kind of impact that new Minnesota Vikings safety Jamal Adams was going to provide the team, it all crashed quickly in their first preseason game.
During the exhibition match against the New York Giants, Adams suffered a non-contact leg injury. It looked bad on television when Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said during a halftime interview that it did not look good.
That ended up being the case, as Adams suffered a season-ending torn right quadriceps tendon injury. While many believe this could end up being the last the Vikings fan base hears from Adams this season, O'Connell will make sure that's not the case.
Kevin O'Connell is making sure Jamal Adams is around the Minnesota Vikings in 2026
After O'Connell confirmed that Adams was done for the season, he spoke more about keeping him on the team and the impact Adams has made. O'Connell said he spoke with Adams and his family about keeping the veteran defensive back around the team as much as possible in 2026.
“He’s a Minnesota Viking,” O’Connell said via ESPN Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert.
Adams is coming off a season with the Las Vegas Raiders in which he played linebacker in 2025. He finished the season with 45 tackles, five tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, one sack, and one forced fumble in 17 games.
Throughout his NFL career, Adams has been considered one of the best safeties in the league. He has made three Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 2019. Adams has been on six NFL teams in his 10-year career.
O'Connell going out of his way to make sure Adams is around the team as often as possible shows the impact the veteran defender has had on the team. Adams was expected to have a big role in defensive coordinator Brian Flores' defense, given the versatility he brings to the table.
Now the Vikings are left scrambling to figure out what they need to do at the safety position with Adams gone for the season. Vikings fans are waiting for O'Connell to pick up the phone and ask Harrison Smith to come back for one more season and give it another run.
If that doesn't happen, the Vikings might have to stick with Joshua Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, Jacob Thomas, and Jakobe Thomas fighting for starting jobs. Metellus should be a lock, but the others are looking to make their mark on the position.
Even if Adams is not making an impact on the field, O'Connell sees something in him that makes him believe Adams can help from the sidelines. Watch for Adams to keep helping this team without putting on the pads.
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