Jalen Reagor’s Fresh Start in AFC Could Actually Work
Dustin Baker
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Jalen Reagor made the Minnesota Vikings initial 53-man roster Tuesday — for about 17 hours.
Jalen Reagor’s Fresh Start in AFC Could Actually Work
The team reportedly attempted to trade the former 1st-Round draft pick leading up to roster trimdowns, to no avail. Then, Minnesota signed veteran running back Myles Gaskin from the Miami Dolphins, and Reagor was the odd man out to make room on the roster.
The Vikings waived Reagor on Wednesday, and the day after, the ex-Philadelphia Eagle latched onto the New England Patriots practice squad, just a promotion away from the regular season roster.
The good news for Reagor? The experiment could actually work in New England, a team not known for robust WR depth.
As of early September, these are the Patriots WRs:
WR1: JuJu Smith-Schuster
WR2: Kendrick Bourne
WR3: Devante Parker
WR4: Matthew Slater
WR5: Kayshon Boutte
WR6: Demario Douglas
Most casual NFL fans don’t know the identities of Slater, Boutte, and Douglas — and that’s if they’re even familiar with Bourne and Parker. Regarding playing time outlook, few WR rooms in the NFL would offer as much chance for opportunity as New England’s.
Of course, Reagor will live on the practice squad for the time being, so it’s not like one should start him in a fantasy league or anything of the sort. But if Reagor were going to accrue targets in an offense, the Patriots would have them available as Smith-Schuster, Bourne, Parker, and the others aren’t prolific Pro Bowlers.
Reagor, 24, produced an impressive training camp and preseason for the Vikings, plopping him smack dab on the middle of Minnesota’s roster bubble. Most Vikings fans believe he did enough this summer to make the regular season roster, while some national voices have speculated a possible waiver.
The national viewpoint was correct.
The young playmaker never really took off as a Viking. In fact, the lasting memory of Reagor heading into the 2023 offseason was two blundered routes against the Indianapolis Colts that caused interceptions. All told, Reagor tabulated 8 catches for 104 yards and a touchdown last season. Of all 31 NFLers who returned 15+ punts in 2022, Reagor’s 6.2 yards per return ranked 31st in the league. His production flatly didn’t impress, and accordingly, he was theorized on the roster bubble heading into 2023 training camp, culminating in a late-summer waiver.
Assuming Reagor eventually climbs aboard the Patriots active roster, he doesn’t have to be a footnote. The stars have aligned for offensive involvement
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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