Jamal Adams out for 2026 after right knee injury

Minnesota Vikings defender Jamal Adams will miss the entire 2026 NFL season after a right knee injury suffered in a preseason game against the New York Giants on Saturday, officials said. The 30-year-old went down at MetLife Stadium and was taken off the field on a cart.

The injury occurred early in the second quarter during a pass-coverage snap. Officials said Adams stumbled without contact and immediately grabbed his right knee, leading medical personnel to halt play and attend to him.

Diagnosis confirmed after imaging

Head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed the severity of Head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed the severity of the injury on Sunday following diagnostic imaging, officials said. Minnesota did not disclose further medical detail in the information provided. Even without additional specifics, the Vikings indicated the result will end Adams’ season. The timing comes as the team is nearing the start of the regular season and must now plan without a player who had been regularly featured in camp. Camp usage made Adams a key part of sub-packages Officials said Minnesota initially signed Adams with the intention of using him at linebacker. After about a week of training camp, the club shifted him back to safety.

Minnesota Vikings

Once moved, Adams was taking heavy first-team reps and had been used extensively in the Vikings’ three-safety looks. That workload, officials said, positioned him as a meaningful element of the rotation and a flexible option across multiple defensive groupings.

With Adams now unavailable, Minnesota must redistribute snaps and reconsider how frequently it can lean on three-safety packages ahead of Week 1. The team has not outlined a replacement plan in the information provided.

Reunion with Nolan Teasley and recent availability record

Adams joined the Vikings before training camp to reunite with general manager Nolan Teasley, officials said. The two previously worked together with the Seattle Seahawks.

The latest injury extends a run in which Adams’ availability has been uneven since 2022. While he completed a full 17-game season with the Las Vegas Raiders last year, the season totals provided show he played one game in 2022, nine in 2023, and five in 2024.

Officials said the right knee injury against the Giants is now set to sideline him for all of 2026, removing an experienced defender the Vikings had been using in several personnel groupings during camp. For Minnesota, the immediate task is reshaping the safety rotation and any related sub-packages before the regular season begins.