Former Vikings WR Lands with Chargers’ Practice Squad
The Minnesota Vikings have taken a chance on trying to revive the careers of a few former first-round picks over the years.
Recent examples include names like Sam Darnold, who led the Vikings to a 13-4 record last season before signing a $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks, Marcus Davenport, who played just four games for the Vikings in 2023 due to injury, and now, Jeff Okudah.
Going a year further back than Davenport, the Vikings also tried to turn Jalen Reagor into a solid WR3 in 2022, but the union ended up being short-lived. Since that time, Reagor has bounced around the league a little bit, and as of this week, he is heading back to the Los Angeles Chargers; the team he spent 2024 with.
Former Vikings WR Jalen Reagor Heads to LA
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported the news earlier in the week, posting on X, “The #Chargers are set to sign wide receiver Jalen Reagor, sources tell @chris_hummer and me for @CBSSports. The former first-round draft pick has made 27 career starts and has 85 career catches. Has also scored touchdowns as both a kick and punt returner.”
Reagor, 26, was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Ironically, he was taken with the 21st overall pick right before the Vikings selected Justin Jefferson 22nd overall.
Unfortunately for the TCU product, his career never took off in Philadelphia, totaling just 64 receptions for 695 yards and three touchdowns over two seasons with the Eagles.
Then, in the 2022 offseason, the Eagles decided to trade Reagor to the Vikings, uniting him with Jefferson, in exchange for a 2023 seventh-round pick and, at the time, a 2024 conditional fourth-round pick that ultimately ended up being a fifth rounder due to conditions not being met.
Reagor never really found a consistent role with the Vikings’ offense either, though. During that 2022 campaign, he caught just eight passes for 104 yards and a single touchdown. Fans might remember this infamous play in Week 15 as the Vikings attempted to mount their historic comeback against the Indianapolis Colts.
Despite a lack of a consistent role in Minnesota’s offense, Reagor did hold down the punt returning job for the Vikings that season, returning 26 punts for 164 yards. It was a modest average of 6.4 yards per return, but it was something.
After that 2022 season, the Vikings opted not to bring Reagor back, releasing him at the end of training camp in 2023. He then ended up with the New England Patriots a year later and went on to catch just seven passes for 138 yards. He did have a 98-yard kick return touchdown for New England, though.
Reagor actually spent the 2024 season with the Chargers as well, so it is a system he is very familiar with. In fact, he was likely going to return this year right at the beginning of the season, but he was released in August on an injury settlement after being placed on IR on August 31.
Now, though, the receiver returns to LA as the Chargers hope to turn their season around following two consecutive losses to the New York Giants and Washington Commanders.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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