The Vikings traded wide receiver Stefon Diggs this offseason, a big loss for a team that isn’t exactly rebuilding.
However, Minnesota received four draft picks from the Bills, in exchange for Diggs and a seventh-rounder. The team now has 12 picks in total, and can try to replace some of the production Diggs left with an early draft pick.
But that could very well not be good enough to replace Diggs. What are the odds that a rookie gels with the offense as well as Diggs and ends up being the leading receiver? Also, it’s not even necessary for the rookie to become a leading receiver, so long as Adam Thielen stays healthy.
Thielen had over 1,200 receiving yards in 2017 and 2018. Then, in 2019, he dealt with a hamstring injury that saw him miss some time. If he can go back to getting a ton of reps on offense, the Vikings won’t drop off in the passing game.
The team added Titans wide receiver Tajae Sharpe in the offseason. Sharpe wasn’t a star for Tennessee, but he showed glimpses of promise in a limited role. He tallied 1,167 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns in three active seasons with the Titans.
There’s no telling how good Sharpe will fit in with Minnesota’s offense, but maybe more reps and targets will see an increase in production that’s suitable for a second wide receiver. But I think it’s likely his efforts will have to combine with a rookie and others on the team in order to fill the void Diggs left.
Bisi Johnson and Chad Beebe were both in the third wide receiver spot in 2019. Johnson was mostly in the third wide receiver role, finishing with 294 yards in his rookie year with the team.
Beebe has had his moments with the Vikings, like in 2019 when he beat Green Bay defensive backs for a 61-yard reception. But I don’t think it’s going to be Beebe or Johnson consistently in the second wide receiver spot, but rather, increased production for them would take some pressure off whomever has to enter into that role.
I think Minnesota’s best option is to draft a rookie early. However, the team has other needs in the draft, so maybe it’s not necessary to take one in the first.
A wide receiver such as Michigan’s Donovan Peoples-Jones or USC’s Michael Pittman Jr. give the Vikings good value past the first round in what is a deep wide receiver class.
A wide receiver like one of those two, in addition to Sharpe, Johnson and Beebe having decent years, gives Minnesota the boost it needs to replace at least a good amount of Diggs’ production. If the rookie steps up and Sharpe is better than expected, it might even replace all of it.