The Minnesota Vikings may be down one of their best chances at replacing Jordan Addison to begin the season after former second-round pick Rondale Moore was carted off the field in Saturday’s preseason opener.
In the second quarter against the Houston Texans, Moore appeared to have suffered a leg injury after he was taken down on what looked like a hip-drop tackle on his first punt return of the game.
Moore, 25, was coming off an ACL tear that sidelined him for the entire 2024 season. He was visibly frustrated, slamming his hands on the bed of the cart as he was driven off the field. Several players surrounded Moore and kneeled before he was lifted onto the cart.
The former Arizona Cardinals draft pick was one of a few receivers who appeared poised to step in for Addison, who will serve a three-game suspension to start the regular season.
That group may be getting thinner if Moore’s injury is as severe as it seems.
Lucky Jackson and Tai Felton are the two frontrunners to step in as the third wide receiver on the depth chart to start the season behind Justin Jefferson and Jalen Nailor.
Vikings’ Rondale Moore Reflected on His Year-Long Recovery Just Days Before Potentially Serious Injury
Getty ImagesRondale Moore dives for the endzone but comes up short against the 49ers on October 10, 2021.
Coming out of college, Moore was one of the most dynamic receivers entering the NFL.
The 5-foot-7 speedster is capable of lining up not only at every spot at receiver but also in the backfield as a lethal option in the screen game.
After being cut by the Cardinals in 2024, Moore signed with the Falcons and was expected to be a contributor before suffering an ACL injury.
He spent almost a year recovering and was just getting back up to speed this summer.
“It was probably one of my biggest blessings in terms of being sat down and having a different approach to the game and life,” Moore told Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller in an August 6 article. “As a player you never want to be hurt and be on the couch for a year, but unfortunate things happen. I had time to reconsider a lot of things, work on my body and get healthy and learn some football. It sucked with the rehab process and not being able to play going into my contract year but I’m grateful to be in Minnesota.”
Moore spent the time off the field refining and studying his game.
“Being able to see it from a different perspective, almost on the outside looking in and even the small, tedious things that you don’t necessarily pay attention to when you’re on the field, I got a chance to see everything, even things like body language,” Moore said.
Wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell saw a much larger role for Moore than just being a screen option.
“He came in as a bubble type receiver and everybody was calling him a ‘gadget guy,’ he’s not a gadget guy,” McCardell told Coller. “He can run routes. He can stop and start. He catches the ball really well. He’ll be an added weapon for us in our room.”
Vikings Might Need to Pursue Another WR to Replace Jordan Addison
GettyJordan Addison’s latest Instagram post featured Caleb Williams, but the absence of his own QB, J.J. McCarthy, left some asking questions.
If Moore has to miss extended time, the Vikings would be wise to sign a proven veteran receiver to help replace Addison.
It will likely be a committee approach, plugging in a third wide receiver with different skill sets for a given play, but tasking Jackson and Felton with the role alone is a concern for an offense hoping to elevate J.J. McCarthy early.
Adam Thielen is a buzz-worthy name to trade for, but veteran Brandon Powell, who spent the past two seasons with the Vikings, could be a more viable option that would not cost much.
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