The Minnesota Vikings just secured superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson to a long-term deal. Jefferson has been arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL since he came into the league, and has put up incredible numbers for the Vikings. Opposite him, they have Jordan Addison, who had one of the better rookie seasons in recent memory, tallying 900+ yards and finishing third in the league in touchdowns.
They’re a duo that has the potential to be one of the best tandems in the entire NFL. But what about the rest of the wide receiver room? Do the Vikings have a problem at the WR3 spot? If the early indications from The Athletic’s Vikings beat reporter Alec Lewis are to be believed, all signs point to yes.
It may seem a bit dramatic to worry about WR3 on a team that has Justin Jefferson and a burgeoning young receiver in Addison, but when you really look at it, the Vikings are likely going to need someone else to step up and provide some production. Who, and do they have anyone else in the room who can be relied upon to take the leap?
Jefferson will be the main focus of defensive game plans every week of the season. The defensive coordinator’s first priority will be to try to slow him down. They will know that the Vikings are adjusting to a new quarterback—whether that be Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy—and that quarterback is likely going to lean heavily on Jefferson. That should open up opportunities for Addison, but who else on the team can step up?
The obvious answer would be T.J. Hockenson at the tight end spot, but he’ll likely miss the first six weeks of the season as he recovers from the knee injury he suffered against Detroit toward the end of the 2023 season.
Adding Aaron Jones and his receiving abilities out of the backfield will help mitigate the need for a dependable WR3, but it won’t fully negate it. So what does the situation look like right now? It would not be great if Lewis were to be believed.
According to Lewis, who recently published quick minicamp notes on all 90 players currently on the Vikings roster for The Athletic, it would seem like Brandon Powell has the inside track to be the team’s WR3, but Lewis questions if he’s a true WR3, and if he does take that spot, will he also be on the team’s punt and kick return teams? And if not, who takes that spot?
Beyond Powell, there are a lot of question marks. Lewis points to Jalen Nailor and Trishton Jackson as being “intriguing” options and the “equivalent of a AAAA baseball prospect” in the case of Jackson. However, he’s quick to point out that both of them have significant injury concerns and have struggled to stay healthy in their careers.
Former Bills, Dolphins, and 49ers wide receiver Trent Sherfield was brought in by the Vikings in the off-season to provide the team with a different type of receiver than what they currently have.
Both Jefferson and Addison win with quickness and savvy route-running, whereas Sherfield can provide the team with a big-bodied receiver for those 50/50 balls. But Lewis points out that Sherfield isn’t “fleet of foot” and “it’s hard to see him sliding into the No.3 receiver role”.
Behind Sherfield, there are a bunch of players (Lucky Jackson, Malik Knowles, Ty James, Thayer Thomas, and Jeshaun Jones) who are fighting for back-end roster spots or spots on the practice squad. Which leaves Minnesota with the question: Who steps up as the third wide receiver in the offense? Who can be that reliable third option if Jefferson and Addison are shut down?
We’re likely going to have to wait until at least pre-season before we have our answer, but the answer may wind up being former Packers and Bears tight end Robert Tonyan, who was brought in this offseason and will likely be the team’s top tight end while Hockenson is unavailable. And that could present the Vikings offense with a big problem.
