Vikings Can’t Afford to Wait on WR Help Any Longer
There was a time this offseason when it looked like the Minnesota Vikings could use additional wide receiver help. Jordan Addison has been looking at a likely suspension for months, and the depth behind Jalen Nailor (even including him) leaves something to be desired.
The Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver depth was already questionable, and now it would be malpractice to avoid making a move.
That reality changed for the worse on Saturday when veteran wideout Rondale Moore returned his first punt with a new team and immediately grabbed his leg. Moore was tackled awkwardly on the sideline and had to be carted off the field. Kevin O’Connell said the knee injury is significant, and it’s likely that the veteran wideout now misses a second-straight season.
Of course, the reality is gutting for Moore. He chose Minnesota over the Chicago Bears and was looking at an inside track to play on offense as well as contribute heavily in the return game. Now that the player is gone, Brandon Powell isn’t there to back him up, and the roster is left looking for answers.
The Vikings Must Formulate a WR Contingency Plan
Realistically, it should have never been considered enough to roll with Justin Jefferson and Jalen Nailor as the top two targets for J.J. McCarthy out of the gate. O’Connell likes to throw the ball, and that situation leaves opposing defenses with little reason not to double or triple the superstar and make the quarterback work.
Without Addison, and depth lacking, a bigger swing is necessary. Sure, a trade for Adam Thielen would be a ton of fun. I’m not sure the Carolina Panthers are just going to give him away at this point, though. Also, Thielen profiles as a third option at this point in his career. He’d be an ideal fit if and when Addison were on the field as well.
The Vikings have more than $25 million left in cap space, and Amari Cooper remains on the open market. Rather than hemorrhaging future assets in a trade, Minnesota should grab the top veteran option.
Of course, Cooper isn’t the wideout he was a few years ago. He’s still more than capable of being a big-play contributor, though, and he doesn’t need to do the same heavy lifting with Jefferson opposite him. When Addison returns, Cooper and Addison can both rotate through slot duties, and it would immediately give Minnesota the best trio at the position in the entire league.
Right now, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has invested substantially in this roster. The defense looks better than ever, and the offensive line has been constructed in a way we haven’t seen for years. Add to the firepower at the disposal of head coach Kevin O’Connell and go wreak havoc on the league all year long.
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