Former Viking Could Fill Key Role in Denver
Wide receiver Trent Sherfield made a one-year pit stop in Minneapolis last season, filling a special teams role, for the most part, and skedaddling in 2025 free agency.
Ex-Vikings WR Trent Sherfield is gaining steam in Denver as a special teams commodity and potential depth piece on offense. He could carve out a spot with Sean Payton’s Broncos.
Training camp gets underway in one month, and for now, it seems Sherfield is trending in the right direction to make the 53-man roster.
And that would be pretty sweet for Minnesota, as his productivity would likely lead to a 7th-Round compensatory draft pick for the Vikings in April.
Trent Sherfield on Track to Make Broncos’ Roster
Sizing up Denver’s WR corps, SI.com‘s Chad Jensen scribed rather favorably about Sherfield last week.
He noted, “The Broncos signed Sherfield to help replace the special teams production lost by Tremon Smith’s defection to Houston. Sherfield will be a gunner on punt coverage and a co-returner alongside Mims on kickoffs. But how will Sherfield fit on offense? Smith was a cornerback who never saw the field at his position. Is Sherfield doomed to the same fate?”
“I doubt it. Remember, Payton loves receivers who check in north of 6-feet tall and Sherfield stands at 6-foot-1. Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018, he has totaled 86 receptions on 150 targets for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns.”
If only for special teams, Sherfield is in an advantageous spot for the regular season.
Trent Sherfield’s Season in Denver Is Worth Monitoring for Vikings Fans
If all goes according to plan, Minnesota could receive a 7th-Round compensatory draft pick for Sherfield’s trek to Denver.
Sherfield Last Year with the Vikings
Sherifeld banked 8 receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown last year in Minnesota, but receiving numbers didn’t tell the story.
Just like his trajectory in Denver, Sherfield served as a special teams ace for Kevin O’Connell’s team, playing 221 snaps on that side of the ball. He basically played WR5 for the 2024 squad and held down the fort on kick and punt returns.
Sean Payton in Denver evidently noticed and pounced in free agency.
Sherfield’s Replacement(s) in Minnesota
Without Sherfield, some combination of rookie Tai Felton, Rondale Moore, and UDFA Silas Bolden will likely be used on offense at wide receiver for J.J. McCarthy’s maiden voyage.
However, on special teams, these men could fill the Sherfield role in September:
- Tim Jones
- Dwight McGlothern
- Tavierre Thomas
- Jay Ward
The special teams role will be flushed out at training camp and in the preseason in July and August.
Denver’s Full WR Corps
With Sherfield on board, here’s Denver’s complete wide receiving unit:
- Courtland Sutton
- Marvin Mims Jr.
- Devaughn Vele
- Troy Franklin
- Trent Sherfield
- Pat Bryant
- A.T. Perry
- Michael Bandy
- Jerjuan Newton
- Courtney Jackson
- Joaquin Davis
- Kyrese White
A full house, indeed.
Don’t Forget the Compensatory Draft Pick
Remember — if Sherfield makes Denver’s regular season roster and remains a steady contributor, Minnesota will be in line for a third compensatory draft pick, at least according to OverTheCap.com.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is already trending toward a 3rd-Rounder for Sam Darnold’s departure and perhaps a 4th-Rounder if Daniel Jones takes 60.6+% of offensive snaps in Indianapolis.
The Sherfield 7th-Rounder, if he stays in Denver throughout the regular season, can be the compensatory cake-topper for 2026.
SI.com on Denver’s WRs
Jensen’s coworker at SI.com, Erick Treckel, added more context to Denver’s WR room last week.
Treckel wrote, “There is a lot of excitement surrounding the potential of the Denver Broncos’ young wide receiver room. The only proven receiver the Broncos have is Courtland Sutton, and while Trent Sherfield is a veteran, he’s more of a special teams player.”
“Sutton and Sherfield are the only two in the room with more than three years of NFL experience. But the Broncos have a lot of potential in their younger and inexperienced receivers, but significant growth is needed to reach it.”
The Broncos actually have same Vegas win forecast as Minnesota this season — 8.5.
Treckel added, “That’s why adding a veteran pass-catcher like tight end Evan Engram was so vital to the offense. That relative inexperience is why it should come as no surprise to see the Broncos’ receiver corps ranked where they are this year at Pro Football Focus. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema ranked the Broncos’ wideouts 22nd in the NFL, which is perhaps even a little higher than expected, and eight spots higher than where he had them this time in 2024.”
“Engram is going to help the Broncos’ passing offense with his ability to create mismatches, and add another reliable veteran piece with Sutton, which is what carries the unit to the 22nd ranking in Sikkema’s estimation.”
The Vikings play Denver again in 2027. In the meantime, purple fans will hope that Sherfield has staying power in 2025, increasing the chances of the aforementioned compensatory pick.
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