A Depth Viking’s Role Just Got Even More Important
This offseason, the Minnesota Vikings watched K.J. Osborn head to the New England Patriots in free agency.
Osborn spent four seasons with the Vikings, and for three of them, he was one of the more consistent WR3s in the NFL in terms of production. Now, though, the Vikings will have to find a new player to take on that job in 2024.
The early favorites to take on that WR3 role throughout the year are Brandon Powell, a veteran who spent a good chunk of 2023 in that role after Justin Jefferson went down with injury, and Jalen Nailor, a 2022 sixth-round pick who has flashed throughout training camp this summer.
Regardless, the role of WR3 in Minnesota this year got even more important on Tuesday morning.
A Depth Viking’s Role Just Got Even More Important
It became official on Tuesday morning that star tight end T.J. Hockenson would miss the start of the 2024 campaign as the Vikings placed him on the PUP list.
The placement means that Hockenson will miss at least the first four games after ACL and MCL tears during Week 16 of the 2023 season against the Detroit Lions sidelined him for the conclusion of last year.
While it was an expected decision, it still cannot be overstated how much of a blow this is to a Vikings offense that will be relying on Sam Darnold to lead their offense at the quarterback position. Hockenson has played 25 games with the Vikings since being acquired via trade in 2022, and he has totaled 155 receptions for 1479 yards and eight touchdowns.
While Powell recorded career-highs in receptions (29) and receiving yards (324), he still largely has been seen as an end of the depth chart receiver throughout his career at 5’8″ and 181 pounds.
For Nailor, the 2022 sixth-round pick has played 21 games over the course of his NFL career, but he has only recorded 12 receptions which have gone for 208 yards and a single touchdown. He was limited to just six games in 2023 during which he recorded three receptions for 29 yards.
Particularly if Nailor were to go into the 2024 season as the WR3 for the Vikings, it would easily be the biggest responsibility of his NFL career to this point. That responsibility is only heightened with the absence of Hockenson.
Now, obviously, the Vikings still have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at the top of their wide receiver room. The addition of Aaron Jones in the backfield should take some additional pressure off Sam Darnold and the passing game.
As long as Darnold can perform like an average starter in the NFL, Minnesota’s offense should be fine in 2024. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how Nailor can perform with heightened responsibilities this season, particularly over these first four weeks without the presence of Hockenson.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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