The Minnesota Vikings lost All-Pro safety Jamal Adams to a season-ending injury on Monday. The former sixth overall pick suffered a torn quadriceps tendon in the team's first preseason game the weekend prior against the New York Giants .
In his place the Vikings added undrafted rookie corner Bryce Phillips, thus reducing the team's total depth at safety â which was already thin to begin with.
And Minnesota could face even more issues at the heart of the secondary as starter Theo Jackson went down during practice on Thursday and was subsequently helped to the medical tent, per The Athletic's Alec Lewis.
"Vikings S Theo Jackson came down after a deep ball and is walking off slowly with trainers to the medical tent. Had been down for a bit. Safety depth already a concern." Lewis wrote on X.
The good news for Vikings fans is that according to BMTN Sports' Will Ragatz, Jackson managed to walk to the tent unassisted, although did so with hardly a spring in his step.
"Vikings safety Theo Jackson was down and in some discomfort after leaping and getting a hand on a deep ball. Able to walk gingerly off the field under his own power", Ragatz reported after the incident.
Undrafted rookie Jacob Thomas , who has had an excellent training camp so far, replaced Jackson with the 1st team, leapfrogging former fourth round pick Jay Ward and rookie third rounder (+ similarly named) Jakobe Thomas â the latter of whom has been dealing with back stiffness over the past week of camp.
The emergence of the UDFA Thomas is certainly a boon for the Vikings, especially if it turns out that Jackson's injury is severe and/or sidelines him for some portion of the forthcoming NFL season, which kicks off in four weeks minus a day.
Without Adams and amidst the retirement of 12-year veteran Harrison Smith , the Vikings' secondary have a lot of room to make up if they are to help the defense once again stand out as one of the league's best.
In 2025, under Brian Flores Minnesota came second in total defense behind the Houston Texans , and first in passing defense.
Part of that came from the Vikings' pressure up front; Flores blitzes over 10 percentage points more than the next highest blitzing team, and the team came joint-fifth in sacks on the year.
But having a strong outlook at safety will still be critical, even if the pressure up front can often reduce the burden of secondary. And on a team that jettisoned veteran defensive lineman and pass rushers Jonathan Greenard , Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen this past offseason, the need for quality on the back end of the defense will be heightened.
Minnesota will need both fellow starter Joshua Metellus to keep improving, and to receive strong contributions from both of the Thomas' if they want to remain atop the league in passing defense.
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