Report: Laquon Treadwell on Trade Block

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Aug 14, 2019
Image courtesy of Vikings.com

The Laquon Treadwell experiment may soon be coming to an end for the Minnesota Vikings. Drafted with the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Treadwell has just one career touchdown in three NFL seasons.

That lack of production is a major reason why the team declined his fifth-year option in May, which would have cost the Vikings $10.162 million in 2020. So with Treadwell’s future in Minnesota all but decided, the team is apparently looking to recoup whatever assets it can for the former first-rounder.

According to Albert Breer of SI.com, Treadwell (6-2, 215) is currently on the trade block. The wide receiver has become available for trade by the Vikings, who reportedly tested the trade market for Treadwell before the draft as well. Breer wrote:

“I’m told that, with the emergence of Chad Beebe, former first-round receiver Laquon Treadwell is available again. And while no one’s moving anything significant for him, maybe there’s a team out there that’s willing to give up the kind of Day 3 pick the Vikings just surrendered.”

The Vikings on Sunday traded a 2020 fifth-round pick for specialist Kaare Vedvik.

Treadwell, 24, is entering his fourth season with the team. He played college football at Ole Miss where he holds 12 team records, including single-season receptions (82), receiving yards (1,153) and touchdown catches (11). In three seasons with the Rebels he hauled in 202 passes for 2,393 yards with 21 touchdowns. His 202 career catches are also an Ole Miss record.

Despite a stellar college career, Treadwell got off to a slow start in the pros. He caught only one pass for 15 yards his rookie season and followed that up with a 20-catch, 200-yard performance his sophomore year. Last season, he caught a career-high 35 passes for 302 yards and one touchdown.

While Treadwell’s career has been disappointing thus far, there was still a glimmer of hope for the young wideout heading into the 2019 season. Shortly after offensive advisor Gary Kubiak was hired in back in February, head coach Mike Zimmer said he noticed a lot of improvement from Treadwell last season, even though he may not have received as many catches as the team hoped. Zimmer also said that Kubiak “had a vision” for utilizing Treadwell in the Vikings’ new offense.

As it turns out, that vision may not come to fruition. Chad Beebe has emerged as the team’s likely WR3 and Zimmer recently scolded Treadwell for an illegal “blindside” block during last Friday’s preseason game.

If they’re able to find a trade partner, the Vikings would save $1.8 million in cap space and create $1.3 million in dead money in a Treadwell trade. Releasing him would result in $2.5 million in dead money with $654K in cap savings.

Current WR depth