Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (left) and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (right) pose after exchanging jerseys during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Saints 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings were going to be in the market for a quarterback during the NFL Draft, and they will extend Justin Jefferson on a massive contract. Those two realities have been the givens of the offseason. Are they going to pay another wide receiver, though? It remains to be seen.
As things stand currently, Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy arguably have the greatest roster of playmakers in football. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are a one-two punch that can contend with anyone, and adding tight end T.J. Hockenson into the mix takes them to another level.
Last season, Brandon Powell emerged as a possible wide receiver three to replace K.J. Osborn. We’ll soon find out how much belief there is in him.
The Vikings currently roster 14 wideouts, but none of them, aside from the top two, are sure things. It seemed sensible to suggest that grabbing another during the draft to compete with Powell would make sense, but that player probably would have needed to come in the fourth round or higher. Ultimately, it never happened, and that leaves questions as to what they do from here.
Some big names remain on the open market. Allen Robinson, Odell Beckham Jr., D.J. Chark, Tyler Boyd, and Chase Claypool are still unsigned. There are varying degrees of fits for each there, but some may not be worth the risk that they welcome a third wide receiver role. Beyond that, targets should be expected to come first and foremost for Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson. Paying any of the bigger names a sum that would question that isn’t a move Minnesota will make.
The dropoff behind those types comes quickly, though. Mecole Hardman, at just 26 years old, shouldn’t be expected to command a ton. There are very few productive types still in their youth, and paying for a slightly older player like Michael Gallup or Hunter Renfrow may be a path to avoid.
There is also the potential that O’Connell is good with Powell and the boatload of wideouts currently on the Vikings roster. Although none of them are sure bets to get the job done, they have all been prioritized more to this point of the offseason.
The Vikings won’t have Hockenson out of the gate and need to ensure their quarterback feels supported through the air. Making sure each of the rotational wideouts is capable of doing that has to be part of the plan.
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.