The Vikings Just Gave an Aching Roster Spot a Shot of Adrenaline
For a little while, the punt returner spot was looking pretty iffy, but the Vikings just gave the spot a shot of adrenaline.
For the past pair of seasons, Brandon Powell held down the job. He was okay, an improvement on Jalen Reagor from 2022 but not an elite option. Minnesota could turn to various players to step into the PR1 spot — Thayer Thomas, Jalen Nailor, and/or Rondale Moore, among others — but there’s an undrafted free agent who is now joining the fun: Silas Bolden.
The Vikings Just Gave the PR Spot a Boost
First, consider the brief insight from Alec Lewis.
“Vikings are signing Texas WR Silas Bolden for $205,000 guaranteed, am told,” the writer for The Athletic wrote on social media. “Massive get, competitive market. Elite returner.”
A pair of details ought to pique your interest: the quick notes about the payday and “elite” ability. We’ll consider each in turn.
Lewis appears to be bang on with the insistence that several teams wanted Mr. Bolden. How can we know? Lewis may have some insider insight, but there’s further evidence. The money tells us as much. The guarantees don’t reach such a height — it’s a nice bit of cash for an undrafted player — unless there are multiple teams bidding for his services.
Second, there’s the insistence on being “elite.” Any numbers to back up the assertion?
While playing for Texas in 2024, Bolden had 30 punt returns go for 315 yards and a touchdown. The 10.5 yards-per-return average is impressive. Consider, as a point of reference, that Powell averaged 7.1 yards per return last year. Yes, there’s an important caveat — one person played in college while the other was in the NFL — but the broader point remains that Bolden offers promise.
Consider, as well, that Silas Bolden has a history of doing some damage as a kickoff returner. Prior to his stint with Texas in 2024, Bolden did work for Oregon State from 2020-2023. The high point for kickoff return production arrived in 2022. He turned 22 returns into 599 yards, good for a 27.2-yard average.
Oh, and keep in mind, as well, that Bolden did some damage as a punt returner at Oregon State even though he didn’t get too many chances at that spot. In 2023, Bolden had 3 punt returns go for a total of 97 yards, working out to a 32.3-yard average. He scored a touchdown.
A key concern is the rookie’s size, or lack thereof.
He’s listed at 5’8″ and just 152 pounds (at least in his college stats page). There’s nothing that can be done about his height, but adding good weight to his frame — translation: weight that doesn’t drain his speed, acceleration, and elusiveness — will be key. It’s hard to envision a player having a long career in the NFL if he weighs somewhere between 150-160 pounds.
Consider, as a point of reference, long-time Vikings returner Marcus Sherels, someone who was pretty small by NFL standards. The former Viking is 5’10” and 175 pounds, quite a bit larger than Bolden. One may think of Darren Sproles, someone who was also 5’6″ and who was similarly a special teams menace. The key detail is that Sproles weighed 190 pounds, better equipping him for the ruggedness of NFL football.
So while Bolden is listed as a receiver, the best move could be to limit his role on offense. Getting a ton of touches for Kevin O’Connell’s side of the ball would increase his chance of injury, potentially undermining his ability to contribute on specials. Of course, that basic truth applies to every player — playing more means more risk of injury — but one wonders if the reality is particularly acute for someone who is uniquely thin for the NFL.
Alongside Silas Bolden, the Vikings brought several other promising UDFAs to town following the draft. The team has roughly $17 million in cap space (note: the draft class hasn’t been signed yet), money that can be used to add more returner options if there’s a desire to do so.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
The Secret Weapons from the Vikings Draft
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
You must be logged in to post a comment.