WR Option for Vikings Hits the Open Market
Remember the thriller playoff contest between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills three years ago — the one that led to overtime rule changes?
WR Option for Vikings Hits the Open Market
An unsung wide receiver for the Bills pulled down 4 touchdown receptions that day, and now he’s a free agent, able to sign anywhere in the NFL.
He’s Gabe Davis, and the Jacksonville Jaguars said sayonara on Wednesday morning.
Gabe Davis Out in Jacksonville
That’s a wrap for Big Game Gabe in Jacksonville after just one season.
NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper wrote of his release: “The Jaguars are moving on without wide receiver Gabe Davis. The team announced that they are releasing Davis on Wednesday morning. Davis signed a three-year contract with the team as a free agent last offseason, but the team has changed their head coach and General Manager since he arrived and the move makes it clear he no longer had a spot in the team’s plans.”
“Jacksonville also released wide receiver Josh Reynolds and tight end Evan Engram in March. They traded wide receiver Christian Kirk and signed wide receiver Dyami Brown before trading up to take Travis Hunter with the second overall pick in the draft.”
The veteran wide out just turned 26, so he has plenty of football left in the tank.
Alper added about Davis’ recent production: “Davis had 20 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games for the Jags. Designating him as a post-June 1 cut would limit the dead money on their 2025 cap to $5.7 million.”
Vikings Don’t Need Another WR — But …
In most Minnesota Vikings offseasons from the last 10 years, a release of a player like Davis would be quite noteworthy because the franchise rarely prioritized the WR3 spot like other teams.
However, the Vikings recently drafted Tai Felton of Maryland from Round 3 last month, indicating a vital roster role before too long. Teams don’t draft wide receivers in Round 3 just to let them fester on the bench.
Minnesota also employs Jalen Nailor, the incumbent WR3, and newcomer Rondale Moore. Yes, the WR3 competition will be stiff.
Still, this brand of Vikings, led by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell, has endorsed improving the roster at all costs. Signing Davis for a summer run wouldn’t be weird one bit. It all depends on whether Adofo-Mensah sees value in Davis.
Davis Pushed Out by Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas
In the last two drafts, the Jaguars have selected Brian Thomas (2024) and Travis Hunter (2025). Those additions were evidently enough to force Davis into unemployment.
Florida Times-Union‘s Juston Lewis wrote Wednesday: “The team moved on from the veteran receiver after a disappointing 2024 campaign with the club. Davis was brought in as a free agent addition by the last regime and never fully caught on with the Jaguars. He recorded 20 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns before suffering a season-ending MCL injury in Week 15 against the Detroit Lions.”
“The new leadership of general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen have moved on from the six-year veteran. The Jaguars added wide receiver Dyami Brown in free agency and traded up to select two-way star Travis Hunter in the 2025 NFL Draft. Along with Brian Thomas Jr., the team has their starters moving forward. Davis, who initially signed a three-year, $39 million deal, levy a $20.3 million cap hit after his release.”
There’s no room for Davis in a suddenly crowded Jaguars WR room.
Vikings WRs at the Moment
For context, these are the Vikings’ wide receivers with organized team activities about three weeks away:
- Justin Jefferson
- Jordan Addison
- Jalen Nailor
- Tai Felton
- Rondale Moore
- Silas Bolden
- Tim Jones
- Lucky Jackson
- Thayer Thomas
- Jeshaun Jones
- Dontae Fleming
- Robert Lewis
If the Vikings took the plunge on Davis’ free agency, he’d probably nestle in around WR4.
Davis’ Affordability
Davis has basically already been paid for 2025, and Jacksonville is willing to swallow his dead cap funds. His next employer won’t have to spend much for his presence on the depth chart, which may increase the chances poking around his free agency.
While Davis struggled to stay healthy in Jacksonville last year — everything went wrong for the Jaguars in 2024, and that’s why they have a new general manager and head coach — he did notch 746 receiving yards on 45 receptions with 7 touchdowns in 2023.
When healthy, Davis is actually the perfect WR3 and is more productive than the aforementioned Nailor, Minnesota’s WR3 in 2024.
Davis has appeared in seven playoff games as a member of the Bills, more than most players on the Vikings’ roster.
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