Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) gets his hand on a deep pass in the third quarter during a Week 17 NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Kansas City Chiefs won, 25-17. © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK.
When the Minnesota Vikings start to sign players this offseason, they’ll have more than a few holes on both sides of the ball. The focus has been on the quarterback position, but what if the franchise decides to allocate funds toward building an elite wide receiver room?
Getting out ahead of this, the Vikings already employ the best wide receiver across the NFL in the form of Justin Jefferson. At some point this offseason, the expectation is that he will receive a massive payday. Behind him is rookie first-rounder Jordan Addison, who looked like a difference-maker in year one. Beyond the top two options, though, things get dicey.
K.J. Osborn is on his way out as a free agent after exhausting his rookie contract, and the organization may decide that Brandon Powell doesn’t present enough firepower as a third wide receiver on his own. Adding in the unlikelihood that T.J. Hockenson is ready to go at the beginning of the year, the Vikings could spend on another wideout.
It’s relatively straightforward to take a couple of fliers on third or fourth players on a depth chart; nothing should be eye-opening if that’s the action plan. However, if the Vikings want to give their signal caller (whomever that winds up being) even more weapons, they could swing for a name that pushes Addison to number three and sets up a monster of a group on any given play.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is set to hit the open market and be the top name available. Overshadowed in recent seasons by Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins may not command the same investment that he would have had he been able to pad his stats more elsewhere. Still, paying at the top end of the market seems unlikely even if the Vikings go this route, given the other needs to be addressed.
However, some intriguing names a bit further down the list could make some sense. Mike Adams could be had at a depressed figure due to his recent string of injuries and age, while Odell Beckham Jr. may be someone that Minnesota targets this time around after he chose to sign with the Baltimore Ravens. Curtis Samuel doesn’t push the envelope too much higher than what Powell could be reasonably expected to provide, and someone like Michael Thomas may be more name than production at this point.
The Vikings certainly have various options in front of them on the open market, and how they attack that remains to be seen. Receiver is probably more a position of luxury than need at this point, but if there is a change under center, providing that player with the most weapons possible is undoubtedly an understandable strategy.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.