Vikings Linked to Sweet Wide Receiver
Ryan Kelly (C), Will Fries (G), Jonathan Allen (DT), Javon Hargrave (DT), Jordan Mason (RB, trade), Isaiah Rodgers (CB), and Jeff Okudah (CB) — those are the Minnesota Vikings’ notable newcomers through nine days of free agency.
Vikings Linked to Sweet Wide Receiver
The club has fundamentally changed for the better this offseason, spending big on sturdy roster additions and still equipped with free-agent cash to buy more.
And according to the rumor mill, wide receiver Tyler Lockett could be in the Vikings’ plans.
The Tyler Locket Rumor Origin
The Seattle Seahawks recently dropped Lockett, and he’s free to sign anywhere in the sport. And according to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson on SKOR North’s Mackey & Judd Show, the Vikings have “some interest in Lockett.”
Wolfson also stated, “I remember in the moment, somebody said, ‘Hey, the Vikings like him but Pete Carroll loves him that much more. So, it always seemed like he was going to Vegas bound.”
Therefore, if Lockett doesn’t immediately join his old ball coach in Las Vegas, along with quarterback Geno Smith, he could activate the Vikings’ free-agent radar.
Lockett’s Bio
A three-time All-Pro (2015, 2016, 2017) and 2015 Pro Bowler, Lockett has a resume of dependability. He’ll be 33 in September but should have a season or two left in the tank.
The veteran wideout tabulated 600 receiving yards on 49 receptions in 2024 with 2 touchdowns. In his 10-year career, he’s banked 8,594 receiving yards, 938 catches, and 61 receiving touchdowns.
As for a prospective WR3 in Minnesota, he’d be just what the doctor ordered if the Vikings wish to upgrade over Jalen Nailor, the current WR3.
Lockett said last week about his release from Seattle: “When you have relationships with people outside of football, it makes you excited to get up to be able to go and try to achieve this journey that we’re all on to try to get to the playoffs, to win the Super Bowl or just create a team that wants to be able to play for their coaches, that wants to be able to play for the community and the city.”
“And so I appreciate the city too, man. I think the city is amazing. I’ll always view Seattle as a college town, and maybe this isn’t the end, maybe it is the end, but I always will be a Seahawk through and through.”
Jordan Addison Insurance Policy
Vikings WR2 Jordan Addison pleaded not guilty to two DUI charges in December, and the next step in his legal drama is on the way. California Highway Patrol arrested Addison last July for driving under the influence, his second legal infraction since joining the Vikings in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The arrest occurred less than a week after Addison’s teammate, Khyree Jackson, died in a tragic car accident that might have involved alcohol consumption by the other motorist.
If the outcome is as most expect, Addison could miss the first three or so games of the 2025 regular season. That would make Nailor or Lockett, in theory, all the more vital, especially with a rookie quarterback in J.J. McCarthy poised to take the offense’s reins.
If Not Lockett, Who?
If it’s not Lockett, but the Vikings still prefer a non-Nailor WR3, these are the current free-agent options:
- Nelson Agholor
- D.J. Chark
- Brandin Cooks
- Amari Cooper
- Stefon Diggs
- Diontae Johnson
- Tyler Lockett
- Robert Woods
There’s also the draft, although Minnesota has just four picks during the event, and most onlookers don’t perceive wide receiver as a priority.
Lockett’s free agency could be a joust between Las Vegas and Minnesota.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.