Vikings WR Hits Rock Bottom in Preseason
A few days ago, this website and other Minnesota Vikings-themed sites presented the case for wide receiver Lucky Jackson as a training and preseason standout on the fast track to make the 53-man roster in eight days.
A Vikings WR graded among the worst in the second preseason game, raising big questions about the WR4 battle heading into September. Does the team need more oomph?
Yet, after a single poor preseason performance, Jackson is back to the drawing board, with fans wondering if he’ll earn a roster spot at all.
Vikings Speedy WR Encounters a Hiccup
Jackson has eight days to state his case for the September roster.
Lucky Jackson Returns to Earth in Preseason Game No. 2
Let’s make this crystal clear: Jackson performed magnificently at training camp, so much so that he could be this year’s “Mr. Mankato.” And during the first preseason game against the Houston Texans, he stood off the page, making highlight grabs and continuing the training camp momentum
Then, Preseason Game No. 2 arrived.
Jackson banked a woeful 38.5 Pro Football Focus grade on Saturday against the New England Patriots, highlighted by a couple of drops — when the spotlight shone the brightest per 53-man roster evaluations.
Jackson picked a terrible time for a lousy game. Like really bad timing.
From Roster Lock to Roster Bubble
Jackson has busted out so prevalently that he felt like a sure thing for the regular season one week ago. After all, Rondale Moore injured his knee in the first preseason game and will miss all of 2025. Justin Jefferson is battling a hamstring tweak. Jordan Addison will miss the season’s first three games because of his summer 2024 tomfoolery.
All signs pointed to Jackson as a saving grace, even announced by the Vikings as the WR4 on the initial preseason depth chart. In fact, without Addison, Jackson had a path to WR3 for the first three games.
All of that fanfare is in doubt now. Jackson has fallen back onto the roster bubble.
A Sheer Numbers Game in His Favor?
Jackson may have a Hail Mary in his bag. With all the aforementioned bumps, bruises, and suspensions, Jackson may get a regular season audition from attrition.
Minnesota will need at least five wideouts for September, and leaving Jackson out of the fivesome might be backward. Perhaps if an Addison suspension were not in play or Moore’s knee hadn’t blown up, Jackson would be cooked for roster outlook. Yet, the roster math may work in his favor this time.
If Not Lucky, Then Who?
If Jackson has played his way off the regular season roster, these internal candidates could spring up and steal his spot:
- Myles Price
- Silas Bolden
- Tim Jones
- Thayer Thomas
- Jeshaun Jones
And if Minnesota prefers an outsider before the NFL’s roster cut process in eight days, these men are still looking for work:
- Nelson Agholor
- Odell Beckham Jr.
- Tyler Boyd
- Amari Cooper
- Gabe Davis
- Brandon Powell
More Jackson Takes
Kyle Joudry wrote about Jackson at our affiliate site, PurplePTSD: “Part of the bad news for Jackson is that Price did have such an impressive day. Jackson’s spot on the roster is contingent on a pair of things: being a reliable depth receiver while also being a major help on specials. Remove one of those parts of the mix and things get dicey for the veteran who is still battling to establish his NFL career.”
“Right now, Jefferson, Addison (suspended for the initial three games), Jalen Nailor, and Tai Felton are going to be on the final roster. Who else locks down a spot? Contenders to jump into the openings at receiver are Price, Tim Jones (who had 5 receptions go for 68 yards and who has a history of helping on specials), Jeshaun Jones, Thayer Thomas, and others.”
For intense followers of Vikings football, the WR section of the depth chart, plus Jackson’s fate, might be the first item to check on roster cutdown day — August 26th.
Joudry continued, “All are battling for that final spot or two. And, of course, there’s Jackson. At the end of the day, Lucky Jackson had a single bad day. That alone won’t be enough to bump him from being on the 53 to getting slid down to Minnesota’s practice squad (where he had worked for the vast majority of 2023 and 2024).”
“Safe to say, though, that making more of his opportunity versus New England would have been helpful. Mr. Jackson is carrying a $960,000 cap charge into the season. Cutting him would leave behind $0 in dead money.”
Now folks wonder if the “single bad day” will kick Jackson back to the practice squad.
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