Vikings’ WR3 Plan Is Now More Important than Ever
In a normal offseason, the Minnesota Vikings might be able to get away with its current offensive setup involving wide receivers and tight ends.
Vikings’ WR3 Plan Is Now More Important than Ever
But 2024 has rapidly devolved into an abnormal offseason.
Foremost, tight end T.J. Hockenson is still recovering from a torn ACL and may not be ready to start the season. He’d usually fetch a WR2 or WR3 workload, and akin to the Kansas City Chiefs, the identity of the WR3 wouldn’t be too vital. But that’s not the case in 2024. Fans should expect Hockenson to miss games and perhaps hit the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
Then, the plot thickened last weekend. WR2 Jordan Addison was arrested in California for suspicion of DUI after blocking a lane of freeway traffic on Friday night. Details remain slim on Addison’s arrest, so much so that no mention of the DUI portion of his arrest or BAC is immediately available.
If one peeks into the future, though, while examining the past, Addison, in theory, could be on tap for a suspension by the Vikings or the NFL. Last summer — also in July — police popped Addison for reckless driving, an offence he later pled to a misdemeanor. If Addison’s most recent infraction turns out to be more serious or involves alcohol, well, he won’t get off scot-free this time.
And that would leave Minnesota’s WR-TE situation bleak entering a change-filled 2024 season, with obvious quarterback uncertainty already present. Kirk Cousins left in March for the Atlanta Falcons. The club signed Sam Darnold as his replacement in a patchover capacity and drafted J.J. McCarthy six weeks later. Darnold or McCarthy may not thrive with an Addison-less and Hockenson-less receiving corps. We shall see.
For context, these are the Vikings’ wide receivers in July:
- Justin Jefferson
- Jordan Addison
- Brandon Powell
- Trent Sherfield
- Jalen Nailor
- Trishton Jackson
- Lucky Jackson
- Thayer Thomas
- Malik Knowles
- Ty James
- Jeshaun Jones
Powell is probably the frontrunner to win the WR3 assignment, but would you, the fan, be excited about Darnold tossing the rock to Justin Jefferson, Brandon Powell, and Robert Tonyan as Minnesota’s temporary three-headed monster? That’s a bit different than Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson.
The free-agent market is dry. Hunter Renfrow, Michael Thomas, and Julio Jones, among a few others, are the remaining options. The team could trade for someone like Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown, or Terrace Marshall Jr., for example.
But then that’s it. Powell, Nailor, Sherfield, a Michael Thomas type, or a trade for a castoff. Minnesota notably signed no high-profile WR3 types like Tyler Boyd, nor did it draft one inside a draft well-known for promising WR3 types.
Therefore, the current state of play at WR3 is hoping for the best with Addison, praying for Hockenson’s swift recovery, or crossing fingers for an unforeseen WR3 emergence.
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 MIN 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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