(Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings will be without veteran defender Jamal Adams for the entire 2026 season after he suffered a serious right leg injury during Saturday’s preseason victory over the New York Giants.
Minnesota placed Adams on injured reserve Monday and signed undrafted rookie cornerback Bryce Phillips to take his place on the 90-man roster.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell had expressed immediate concern about Adams’ injury after the 13-10 win, saying he was “crushed” for the veteran defender and that the Vikings were going to miss him.
Adams Suffers Torn Quadriceps Tendon
Adams suffered the injury early in the second quarter at MetLife Stadium.
The veteran stumbled while covering a receiver without any apparent contact and went down on the turf. He rolled over and grabbed his right knee before eventually being taken from the sideline to the locker room on a cart.
Initial testing raised concerns about the severity of the injury, but the Vikings waited for additional imaging Sunday before determining the extent of the damage.
Those tests revealed that Adams tore his right quadriceps tendon, ending his season.
The injury is another significant setback for a player who has dealt with numerous injuries throughout the second half of his career.
Adams Was Expected to Play a Significant Role
The Vikings signed Adams, 30, shortly before the start of training camp, partly because of his familiarity with general manager Nolan Teasley from their time together with the Seattle Seahawks.
Adams entered the NFL as a safety after the New York Jets selected him sixth overall in the 2017 draft. He transitioned to linebacker with the Las Vegas Raiders last season and initially worked at the position after joining Minnesota.
However, the Vikings changed course after the first week of training camp. Adams switched from No. 54 to No. 32 and began working primarily at safety.
He had received plenty of first-team opportunities in Minnesota’s three-safety packages and appeared to be positioning himself for an important role. Adams was working with the second-team defense when he suffered the injury against the Giants.
Injuries Continue to Follow Adams
The latest injury adds to a difficult stretch of Adams’ career.
The three-time Pro Bowl selection played just one game in 2022, nine games in 2023 and five in 2024. He managed to appear in all 17 games for the Raiders last season, although the team primarily deployed him as a part-time player.
Adams had hoped to make an impact in Minnesota after joining the team late in the offseason, but his first preseason appearance with the Vikings ended his season before he could play a meaningful regular-season snap.
Vikings Add Bryce Phillips
Minnesota moved quickly to fill Adams’ roster spot by signing Bryce Phillips, an undrafted rookie cornerback out of San Diego State.
Phillips initially signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2026 NFL Draft, but Kansas City waived him after signing defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah.
Phillips began his college career at Tennessee State before transferring to San Diego State. In two seasons with the Aztecs, he appeared in 24 games and recorded 74 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and 10 passes defended.
The rookie also has an NFL connection in his family. His older brother, Clark Phillips III, joined the Atlanta Falcons as a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Phillips now gets an opportunity to compete for a roster spot in Minnesota after Adams’ season-ending injury.
