The Rams Have a Fit for the Vikings

When Brian Flores was hired as Minnesota’s defensive coordinator, links to defensive players he had previously coached became easy targets. That has also been the case for head coach Kevin O’Connell.
The Rams Have a Fit for the Vikings
Cam Akers and Brandon Powell are the more prolific former Los Angeles Rams who made their way to Minnesota. The Vikings liked Akers so much that they traded for him in consecutive seasons. Powell was deployed as a return specialist, and O’Connell trusted him as a wide receiver in key moments.

How the Vikings will handle the wide receiver room in 2025 remains to be seen. Jalen Nailor, who took over for K.J. Osborn, was clearly the right choice. However, it is worth wondering if he is the highest upside player moving forward. If Minnesota wants to aim higher, then the Rams roster makes plenty of sense once again.
The sexy suggestion here is Cooper Kupp. He could be hitting the open market, and though he will be 32 years old next season, a complimentary role may make sense. Kupp was a target monster for Matthew Stafford in 2021, and he led the league with 145 receptions and 1,947 yards.

In each of the past three seasons, Kupp has dealt with injuries, and he hasn’t played in more than 12 games during any of those campaigns. With the Vikings, he could slot in behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he could also provide a reliable slot option for a team that would utilize him more often.
If the Vikings didn’t want to aim that high, they could opt for Tutu Atwell instead. He has previously been discussed as a trade target coming into the 2024 season, and there’s no reason he still wouldn’t fit. In 2025, he will be just 26 years old.
Atwell has played the same exact role that Nailor currently holds down for the Vikings. He is a lesser-used slot option but posted a career-best 562 yards this season. At 5’9” he doesn’t have the size to compete with bigger defenders, but his speed is definitely an asset.

The Vikings have other holes to fill before wide receiver becomes a consideration, but O’Connell could be interested in both players with Rams ties.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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