Rondale Moore will miss the 2025 NFL season with a season-ending left knee injury suffered in the Vikings’ preseason game against Houston. Moore, who also spent last year on injured reserve, was placed on IR after his first and only snap of the exhibition. Minnesota now faces the challenge of filling the punt-return role he was expected to compete for, a spot that could reshape the team’s special-teams dynamic early in the year.

Key roster moves accompany the setback. Minnesota moved backup center Zeke Correll to the waived/injured list after an ankle fracture and waived veteran linebacker Brian Asamoah II, saving cap space that could be redirected toward a Moore replacement. Internal punt-return candidates—Lucky Jackson, Jalen Nailor, Silas Bolden, and Myles Price—have taken reps, while Brandon Powell remains a free agent with punt-return pedigree. Kevin O’Connell called Moore’s injury heartbreaking, underscoring how quickly an offseason plan can shift on a single play.

Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract with $250,000 guaranteed in March, a deal that looked to support Minnesota’s depth on return duties and fringe roster spots. The Vikings’ tight cap situation makes any replacement a careful balance of upside and cost, and the team will likely explore options to stabilize punt return production while rethinking the 2025 pass-game plan in Moore’s absence.