The Minnesota Vikings cleaned up in free agency, leaving them in a position similar to a kid who aces a two-hour test in 30 minutes. The Vikings still have some work to do with their roster, but not much. Addressing their needs in the offensive and defensive trenches went a long way toward improving the 2025 team, and they brought back both old friends (Aaron Jones, Cam Bynum) and new contributors (Jordan Mason).
The secondary is probably the big exception to their locked-and-loaded starter group, but other than that? Minnesota’s in a position where they can draft with an eye on stockpiling depth for 2025 and build for the future. We can see this with the Dallas Turner pick, where the Vikings bet huge on upside, knowing that Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel‘s presence meant he didn’t have to be a Day 1 — or even Year 1 — starter.
Wide receiver is an opportunity where the Vikings to have the luxury to go that route. Jalen Nailor was their WR3 last season, and he had a solid showing with limited targets, producing 14.8 yards per catch and six touchdowns. Still, it feels like Minnesota is exploring other options, given their apparent interest in Cooper Kupp and signing Rondale Moore.
Why would that search stop at the draft? The only reason is if the Vikings were forced to spend their limited draft capital on certain positions. But despite having only four picks at the moment, they may still have the flexibility to use one on a receiver.
It’s absolutely a luxury at this point, to be sure. Justin Jefferson is an all-world talent, and Jordan Addison has all-world potential. T.J. Hockenson is as reliable a passing option in the middle as there is in the NFL, with the benefit of being another offseason removed from his ACL rehabbing. Jones excels out of the backfield as a pass-catching option.
Still, it’s never a bad idea to keep loading up on weapons, especially when turning the offense over to an untested quarterback like J.J. McCarthy. Minnesota made it their goal to insulate McCarthy even beyond the situation Sam Darnold had last year. In comes a stronger interior offensive line, and in comes a second running back to hedge against Jones getting injured.
The Plan As are all set. Now it’s time to work on the Plan Bs, and Minnesota will likely need a Plan B at some point out wide.
Beyond a potential suspension for being arrested on suspicion of DUI last summer, there’s the fact that Addison had two ankle injuries in 2024. It’s not a chronic injury, and Addison missed only two games. Still, it’s something to keep an eye on. Jefferson avoided the hamstring issues that sidelined him in 2023, but hamstring injuries have a reputation for recurring. There’s a non-zero chance that either receiver could miss games next year.
To his credit, Nailor stepped up when Addison missed time last year. He combined to catch six passes on eight targets for 85 yards and two touchdowns. PFF was high on those performances, rating his Week 2 outing against the San Francisco 49ers his second-best of the season, and his Week 3 against the Houston Texans his sixth-best.
However, the fast start for “Speedy” failed to turn into sustained success. Some of that was his targets generally declining, but Nailor also made much less of his targets once he got past Week 7.
Weeks 1-7: 12 catches (16 targets), 17.8 yards per catch, three touchdowns
Weeks 8-18: 16 catches (26 targets), 12.6 yards per catch, three touchdowns
Those aren’t terrible stats in a low-usage role, but those numbers also came with Darnold playing at an MVP level. It will be difficult, maybe impossible, for McCarthy to replicate that as a first-year starter. If that’s the case, it’ll also be difficult for Nailor to repeat his 400-yard, six-touchdown season without a major change in role.
Taking the leap to try to upgrade on Nailor would also be a solid, forward-looking move. Nailor, 26, is set to be a free agent after this season. It’s easy to foresee him not being a part of Minnesota’s future plans, and drafting a WR3 to push him gives the team a head start on replacing him. Even if a rookie doesn’t surpass Nailor on the depth chart this year, he’d at least get a year working with Kevin O’Connell and McCarthy to ease the transition.
It could also put the Vikings in a position of strength for when Addison’s rookie deal expires. Minnesota’s Plan A is likely keeping Jefferson and Addison as a one-two punch for as long as possible. Still, a developmental receiver rising through the ranks gives the Vikings options. They could have a loaded receiver corps for two years or so, then trade Addison for a haul to reinvest dollars into other parts of the roster.
Minnesota hasn’t been able to invest in luxuries much at the draft. If they hadn’t gotten Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Will Fries, and Ryan Kelly in a dream free agency, they wouldn’t be able to look in the direction of a wideout next month. But Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s skilled navigation of the free-agent waters is setting himself up to load up on luxuries for 2025 that can become necessities for 2027 and beyond. That’s a spot every football team wants to be in.
