Tag: Justin Jefferson

Touchdown Wire’s 2022 NFL season predictions

Doug Farrar, Laurie Fitzpatrick, and Luke Easterling fill out Touchdown Wire’s predictions for the 2022 NFL season.

Everybody does predictions before the start of every season in every sport, and of course, we who blather on about the NFL are no exception. Last year, Doug Farrar, Laurie Fitzpatrick, and Mark Schofield filled out the Touchdown Wire predictions sheet, and while the predictions made sense, we all whiffed on a few things — most notably, the Super Bowl teams.

Now, with Mark off to pastures anew (see you ’round, old friend), we’ve enlisted Luke Easterling, the shot-caller for both Bucs Wire and Draft Wire, and an estimable football mind in his own right. Luke and Doug also host the weekly “4-Down Territory” video, which you should definitely check out.

With all that said, let’s get to the predictions. Here’s how we see the 2022 NFL season shaking out — from division winners to Super Bowl champion to a plethora of individual awards.

Eagles GM on drafting Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson: I’d like to have that moment back

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman told Angelo Cataldi that he’d love to have the 21st pick in the 2020 NFL draft back and select the best available player

Life is about rebounding from mistakes; for the Eagles, that means a shift in culture and talent evaluation.

Fans can thank the 2020 NFL draft as the moment Philadelphia shifted to a culture of drafting the best available talent over positional fit. With Greg Ward having a breakout season from the slot in 2019, the Eagles entered the following spring’s draft with the approach of drafting an outside wide receiver to help elevate quarterback Carson Wentz.

Even after watching LSU dismantle opponents via a dynamic passing attack, Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman and head coach Doug Pederson felt All-American pass catcher Justin Jefferson was simply a slot receiver who benefited from an elite system and quarterback Joe Burrow.

The Eagles selected TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor at pick No. 21, and the rest is history or the last huge NFL draft blunder Howie Roseman would ever make.

Jefferson has developed into one of the NFL’s top five pass catchers, while Reagor regressed at times and was recently traded to the Vikings for draft picks.

Roseman had such a successful offseason and summer that he had no problem telling Angelo Cataldi that he’d love a do-over on picking Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson.

Reagor has been a disappointment through two seasons, logging just 64 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns in 28 games, including 24 starts, since the Eagles made him the 21st pick in the 2020 draft.

Jefferson, who the Vikings selected at No. 22 overall, has posted back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, logging 196-catches for 3,016 yards and 17 touchdowns.

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Kyle Brandt believes this Vikings trio is the best in the NFL

There isn’t any trio better than what the Vikings have

When it comes to a running back and wide receiver trio, NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt believes the Minnesota Vikings have the best one in the National Football League.

The Good Morning Football crew discussed the best trios in the league and Brant was all-in on the Vikings trio of Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.

There are a few trios that could be discussed in the same league as the Vikings

  • Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Mixon/Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins
  • Los Angeles Chargers: Austin Ekeler/Keenan Allen/Mike Williams
  • Los Angeles Rams: Cam Akers/Cooper Kupp/Allen Robinson
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Leonard Fournette/Mike Evans/Chris Godwin

While all of these trios are great, none of them have both a top-five running back and a top-five wide receiver among their ranks. It’s no slight on any of those teams but rather a massive compliment to the Vikings trio.

With new head coach Kevin O’Connell taking over, the Vikings offense is ready to rise to a new level.

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The Jalen Reagor trade to the Vikings has everyone laughing at the Eagles for passing on Justin Jefferson all over again

Eagles fans will never be able to live this one down.

For Eagles fans, the pain of knowing the team could’ve taken Justin Jefferson in the 2020 NFL draft instead of Jalen Reagor will always be there.

Especially now that we know they were considering it, but they’d just expected more out of Reagor as a player. And, look — Reagor is fine. But Jefferson? He’s special.

As an Eagles fan myself, I’m unsure if I’ll ever get over this. I almost certainly won’t in the short term. Especially not now.

Why? Because the two are teammates.

The Vikings traded a 2023 7thround pick and a conditional 2024 4th-round pick for the Reagor, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

That makes Reagor and Jefferson teammates. All I can feel is pain. And if just knowing that wasn’t enough, the video of the Vikings being absolutely stunned the Eagles took Reagor instead of Jefferson has now resurfaced. Again.

If this video wasn’t already enough of a reminder, everyone on the internet also decided to point out that THE EAGLES DID NOT PICK JEFFERSON OVER REAGOR.

Takeaways and observations from Eagles trading Jalen Reagor to the Vikings

Takeaways and observations from the Philadelphia Eagles trading wide receiver Jalen Reagor to the Minnesota Vikings

The Eagles continue to make roster moves as just traded disappointing wide receiver Jalen Reagor to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 2023 conditional fifth-round pick that can become a fourth along with a 2024 seventh-round pick.

It gives both parties a fresh start and Philadelphia the chance to move on from a draft night mistake that’ll haunt the franchise for years to come.

The Eagles could win multiple Super Bowls over the next few years and experts will still wonder what this team could have been with Justin Jefferson running routes.

With the addition of A.J. Brown and Zach Pascal to the roster, Reagor’s spot as a starter was no longer guaranteed, and the move gives Philadelphia more draft ammo over the next two years.

Here are takeaways and notes from the trade.

Eagles trade Jalen Reagor to the Vikings

Jalen Reagor and Justin Jefferson will now be teammates as the Philadelphia Eagles are trading the 2020 first-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for draft picks.

The Jalen Reagor era is over in Philadelphia, as the Eagles are trading the 2020 first-round pick to the Vikings for draft picks.

With the addition of A.J. Brown and Zach Pascal to the roster, Reagor’s spot as a starter was no longer guaranteed, and he entered the season as the likely fifth or sixth wide receiver on the team.

He’ll now be teammates with the player drafted directly after him, as Justin Jefferson was the 22nd overall pick in that 2020 draft, and he amassed 196 career catches for 3,016 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Reagor has been a disappointment through two seasons, logging just 64 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns in 28 games, including 24 starts, since the Eagles made him the 21st pick in the 2020 draft.

A star at TCU, Reagor has averaged just 24.8 yards per game, and according to Reuben Franks, the only wide receivers in Eagles history to start at least 20 games and averaged fewer yards per game are 1984 1st-round pick Kenny Jackson and undrafted Greg Lewis, now the Chiefs’ running backs coach under Andy Reid.

He’ll now get the fresh start both parties deserve.

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Initial Vikings 53-man roster

Here is the first look at the 2022 Minnesota Vikings

Cuts have been made and the initial 53-man roster is live.

The Minnesota Vikings and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah moved on from 28 players and added one in his first cutdown day as the man in charge of personnel.

There were a multitude of takeaways from the way Adofo-Mensah handled his first preseason and constructing of the roster and it starts with how the 53-man roster looked.

Here is the first look of the Minnesota Viking 53-man roster.

Fantasy Football: 5 QB-WR duos to consider stacking in 2022

Stacking QBs and WRs from the same team can help you double up on points in fantasy football.

If you start Joe Burrow in fantasy football, a 25-yard touchdown pass could net you 5.25 points. If you also start Ja’Marr Chase and he catches Burrow’s TD pass, that could add 9.5 points for a total of 14.75 points on one play.

It’s called stacking, adding a quarterback and wide receiver from the same team hoping to double up on points when they connect for a completion or — even better — a touchdown.

Here are five QB-WR duos to consider stacking in fantasy football this season.

Justin Jefferson ranks #17 on NFL’s top 100 list

The NFL top 100 list ranked Justin Jefferson too low

The star wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings comes in at number 17 on the NFL’s top 100 list.

After ranking at 53 in 2021, Jefferson makes a major leap by jumping up 36 spots.

It’s no secret that Jefferson has been one of the biggest stars over the past two seasons. Breaking the record for most receiving yards in the first two seasons with 3,016, Jefferson is a two-time pro bowler and second-team All-Pro wide receiver.

What makes Jefferson special is his excellent route running ability. Able to start and stop on a dime and explode out of cuts, Jefferson creates incredible separation from the defender. He also had the ability to go up and snatch the ball out of mid-air with ease, exuding tremendous body control in the process.

His ranking at 17 puts him as the fourth-best wide receiver per the NFL’s top 100 list. Deebo Samuel finished two spots behind him at number 19 with Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and Cooper Kupp all finishing in front of him.

Jefferson also joins two other Minnesota Vikings with Kirk Cousins at 99 and Dalvin Cook at 31.

Depending on how you rank them, Jefferson is a top-five receiver but he should be higher than this. He will rank as the number one wide receiver next season after a year with head coach Kevin O’Connell.

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WATCH: Justin Jefferson could be QB1

Justin Jefferson is an insane athlete

The Minnesota Vikings receivers have quite a few unique talents and abilities. Justin Jefferson is no different.

In a game that the Vikings receivers seem to play regularly during practice, they throw the ball from around the 40-yard line and try to hit the crossbar.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette nailed his throw a couple of weeks ago in practice, making it look easy.

Before the Vikings take on the Denver Broncos in Colorado, the receivers were at it again and Jefferson made it look easy.

We all knew that Jefferson was special, but this takes things to a new level. Could we see the third-year wide receiver run a few trick plays this season?