What Are the Vikings Waiting for with Hunter Renfrow?
The Minnesota Vikings have arguably the best one-two punch across the NFL at the wide receiver position. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison should be considered almost unmatched amongst their competition. What about some help, though? Hunter Renfrow is still unsigned.
What Are the Vikings Waiting for with Hunter Renfrow?
After a couple of different practice sessions, the Minnesota Vikings appear set with Brandon Powell as their third wide receiver. Last season, he showed ability as a pass-catching option, but it was only after K.J. Osborn largely flopped that he was determined worthy of additional looks.
When Minnesota kicked off the regular season a year ago, there were questions about the viability and depth of the running back room. It didn’t take long for problems to rear their head, and it’s hard not to view the current wide receiver room in a similar light. Of course, the top options are substantially better than the best-case scenario for Alexander Mattison, but the dropoff is substantial.
If and when it is determined that Powell isn’t the guy for a full-time third wide receiver role, then names like Jailon Nailor and Trent Sherfield come into the picture. Neither of them should be expected to produce at an incredibly reliable level, and having talented pass catchers is something Kevin O’Connell needs this year more than ever.
The reality is that T.J. Hockenson is going to miss a sizable portion of the season. Robert Tonyan has been brought in to mitigate that blow, but he’s not a silver bullet. Jefferson and Addison will get theirs, but having an alternative seems like a no-brainer. With Hunter Renfrow still sitting in free agency, it’s hard not to think he couldn’t be had at a reduced price.
He is just two years removed from a 1,000-yard season, and while his targets dropped off a cliff the last two years, it’s obvious he has previously contributed at a high level. He would bring a veteran presence to the Vikings’ wide receiver room, and having a talent like that in more of a depth situation only helps Powell raise his production and truly push for playing time.
O’Connell doesn’t have many holes left on the roster, and there isn’t much remaining on the open market. This fit feels too obvious to ignore, though, and putting Renfrow in purple would be a great situation for everyone involved.
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.
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