Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell talks to fans before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings took on the Las Vegas Raiders in their first preseason game of 2024 this past weekend.
Ultimately, Minnesota won the game by a score of 24-23, but the waters might be even more muddied at one of the biggest Vikings position battles of the offseason. That spot is WR3 as a number of players made sure they were remembered following Saturday’s game.
Heading into the game, the favorite for that position likely was Brandon Powell, who held down the spot for parts of the 2023 season with Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn dealing with injuries during the year.
In all honesty, that could still be the case considering Powell played only eight snaps on offense this weekend, the second-lowest of any offensive player for the Vikings with C.J. Ham (six snaps) being the only one to step onto the field less.
Kevin O’Connell knows what Powell is capable of after a 2023 campaign that included 29 receptions for 324 yards and a touchdown. O’Connell was also Powell’s offensive coordinator during the 2021 season with the Los Angeles Rams.
That being said, there were a few performances on Saturday that likely left O’Connell wondering whether or not Powell should be the runaway candidate for the role.
One player who is continuing to make sure his name is in the hat is Jalen Nailor, who had a very strong showing this weekend with three receptions for 63 yards, Nailor’s ability to spread the field has been a consistent trait of his throughout his collegiate and NFL careers, earning himself the nickname “Speedy.”
However, Nailor is not the only contender for this job. A sneaky name who could take over the role is Trishton Jackson, who has been hanging around the tail end of NFL rosters for each of his first four seasons. Jackson put together four receptions for 100 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown catch on a pass from J.J. McCarthy.
Jackson also has plenty of experience with Kevin O’Connell, spending the 2020 season with the Los Angeles Rams when O’Connell was still the offensive coordinator. Jackson has also been with the Vikings for each of O’Connell’s first two seasons as head coach.
And finally, even veteran Trent Sherfield got into the mix on Saturday. The 28-year-old receiver has spent the majority of his career hanging onto the back end of depth charts, recording fewer than 20 receptions in five of his first six seasons.
As a result, Sherfield may be the least likely candidate for the role, but he still came to play on Saturday with three receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown. Granted, the 33-yard touchdown reception came on a busted coverage play, but the veteran receiver still remained a position impact for the Vikings.
Overall, there are still a couple weeks to go before we get any solid answers about Minnesota’s wide receiver depth, but for now, it seems that there are a few players with the chance to be contributors in 2024.