Vikings Taking a Big Gamble on Jalen Nailor
The Minnesota Vikings were always going to be without Jordan Addison this season. The only question was for how long exactly. He drove under the influence just a short while after his teammate was killed in a car accident. It was sad, egregious, irresponsible, and stupid.
Jalen Nailor will take on a bigger role without Jordan Addison, but that’s risky for the Minnesota Vikings.
Thankfully, Addison didn’t impact anyone else while making his poor decision. The results, though, now impact his team. He’s going to be on the shelf for the first three games of the season, and that matters.
A suspension won’t come as a shock to Addison, Kevin O’Connell, or anyone within the Minnesota Vikings organization. It is at least somewhat surprising that they have not yet handled the situation. Jalen Nailor was elevated to the third wide receiver role last season after K.J. Osborn departed in free agency. To bump him up, even briefly, to the second wide receiver role seems risky at best.
Will Jalen Nailor Succeed in His Contract Year?
To say that Nailor was bad in his elevated role last season would be unfair. He hauled in 28 of 42 passes thrown his way, and the 414 yards were easily a career-high. He caught six touchdowns and was routinely a target close to the end zone.
If there was something to be leery of, Nailor could not haul in passes when the pressure was on. There were a few key drops, and that is not something that an offense can typically overcome. It’s possible that Nailor holds himself to a higher standard this year and expands his abilities as he enters a contract year. That would also seem to go against the vision that has been observed at training camp thus far.
Amari Cooper remains a free agent, and that would be a substantial addition by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. He doesn’t have to go that aggressive, but it would be a lot of fun. Cooper isn’t the same player he was a few years ago, but he’d be the best option behind Justin Jefferson while Addison is out of action, and he’d easily elevate the offense when Addison returns as well.
Trying to swing a trade for Adam Thielen, or tinkering with the thought of Odell Beckham Jr. (who has previous experience with Kevin O’Connell) are both intriguing options as well. No matter what, it’s hard to think that playing three games with Nailor as the second option, and an uncertain third, makes any level of sense.
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