Blast from the Vikings’ Past Works Out for Commanders
Like the Minnesota Vikings, the Washington Commanders won’t reach the postseason in 2025, hoping to finish the season on a high note on Sunday at the Philadelphia Eagles. To prepare for that contest, Washington worked out a handful of players for practice squad additions, including former Vikings wideout Trishton Jackson.
Jackson’s regular season footprint in Minnesota was tiny, but his August production stayed loud enough to keep earning workouts when teams need WR depth.
Jackson hasn’t played any regular season snaps in the NFL this year, but with any luck, he’ll sneak onto the Commanders’ roster and get a jump on the 2026 offseason.
Trishton Jackson Back on NFL Radar
Jackson always had some summer flair in Minnesota.
Commanders Audition Jackson
It’s a fresh audition for Jackson, as Commanders Wire‘s Ivan Lambert wrote Tuesday, “The work of a NFL General Manager is unending. While players know this weekend is the season finale for each team, a team’s GM, such as Adam Peters of the Washington Commanders, is still hard at work, looking for players and working them out.”
“Thus, the Commanders worked out six players on Monday. Here are those six players: G Sala Aumavae-Laulu, OT Marshall Foerner, WR Trishton Jackson, LB D.J. Johnson, DE Jah Joyner, WR Montrell Washington.”
Washington has four wide receivers on injured reserve: Ja’Corey Brooks, Noah Brown, Jaylin Lane, and Luke McCaffrey. That many humans in the infirmary evidently allows Jackson to get a tryout with the Commanders.
Washington’s WR Corps
If Jackson signs a contract in Washington, he’ll join this WR squad in Week 18:
- Terry McLaurin
- Deebo Samuel
- Treylon Burks
- Chris Moore
- Jacoby Jones (Practice Squad)
- Robbie Chosen (Practice Squad)
- Ja’Corey Brooks (IR)
- Noah Brown (IR)
- Jaylin Lane (IR)
- Luke McCaffrey (IR)
Jackson would nestle in among Jones and Chosen.
Jackson with the Vikings
Minnesota elevated Jackson from the practice squad to the active roster twice last season. He logged 10 offensive snaps in 2024 and appeared on two special teams plays, a minimal footprint once the games started counting.
The name still rings because of what he did the previous summer. During the 2024 preseason, Jackson consistently popped on tape against the Raiders, Browns, and Eagles, finishing with nine receptions, 154 yards, and three touchdowns. The production came in limited action, not full-game run, yet he found the end zone in all three appearances.
That pattern wasn’t unique. Preseason environments reward opportunity, matchups, and timing, and Jackson popped. When the regular season arrived, the path fizzled, as it does for most fringe WRs. The same arc played out again a year later with Lucky Jackson, who remains a free agent.
From 2021 through 2024, Jackson stayed tethered to Minnesota’s roster orbit, close enough to matter in August, never quite breaking through when the margins tightened.
Jackson is also close pals with Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson said about him in 2024:
You know, he’s a hooper, so he knows how to move, how to get open and, I mean, the catch point of the ball, he’s definitely making plays out there. He’s showing up every time on the film, so the more he shows up, the more he has a chance to be out there on the field on Sunday.
Yeah, I can’t imagine what it feels like for him to be given an opportunity, and not every opportunity is fantastic or great, so for him to be the spotlight of Saturday’s game and to have his first 100-yard game, you know, that’s something special for him. Especially the way he’s been performing this entire training camp and making plays all over the field. So, it was definitely awesome to see him get in the end zone finally, to see him just be excited and happy for that moment.
NFL Resume
And here’s Jackson’s resume on the whole:
- Los Angeles Rams (2020)
- Minnesota Vikings (2021–2024)
- Arizona Cardinals (2025)
NFL.com‘s Lance Zierlein profiled Jackson before the 2020 NFL Draft: “Jackson is a one-year wonder whose 2019 season is quite impressive considering the many raw and underdeveloped elements of his play. Vertical separation isn’t a problem, but winning 50/50 balls is.”
“He struggles to track and adjust to throws when forced to break stride and has difficulties finishing contested catches against bigger cornerbacks. The ball skills and instincts need to get better, but better deep ball accuracy and more varied usage as a pro could unlock additional potential and make him an intriguing middle route option.”
All told, Jackson has played in 7 career games, logging 2 receptions for 9 yards. He’ll turn 28 in March.
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