Lucky Jackson – Syndication Server

Do the Minnesota Vikings have a problem at WR3?

Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are firmly planted as the Minnesota Vikings’ top two wide receivers, but do they have a reliable WR3?

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.

Vikings make 4 roster moves ahead of week 18 matchup vs. Lions

With six players out, the Minnesota Vikings made four roster moves to fortify their active roster for week 18 against the Detroit Lions.

The Minnesota Vikings were in a tough spot going into their week 18 game against the Detroit Lions. They had six players listed as out for Sunday’s game and would have to make some roster moves to have enough cornerbacks for gameday.

It can get difficult to field a healthy roster by the end of the year but that’s why they have the practice squad, giving you options to help fortify the roster.

On Saturday afternoon, the Vikings made four moves to get the roster in better shape.

Vikings make 4 roster moves ahead of Week 16 vs. Lions

Jordan Hicks returing is among four roster moves

The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Detroit Lions on Sunday in their week 16 matchup. Going into the game, the Vikings made four roster moves to set themselves up for success.

Vikings make two roster moves

After two procedural moves last Friday, the Vikings brought both players back

After a procedural move last week, the Minnesota Vikings have signed running back Myles Gaskin to the active roster and signed wide receiver Lucky Jackson to the practice squad.

This was expected to happen as the Vikings only released Gaskin to not fully guarantee his salary for the 2023 season. That would signal that his time with the team is going to end once running back Kene Nwangwu is set to return from injury as early as week five.

Bringing Jackson back to the practice squad was always likely in the same way that Gaskin was always going to come back. Jackson provides an intriguing developmental option for the Vikings, as he excelled with the D.C. Defenders in the spring XFL season.

The Vikings 53-man roster is once against complete.

15 days until Vikings season opener: Every player to wear No. 15

Currently worn by wide reciever Lucky Jackson, 10 players have worn the number 15 for the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings will kick off their 2023 regular season in 15 days at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 10.

From now until then, we will take a trip down memory lane and count each day by revisiting the players who have worn that specific jersey number.

Wide receiver Lucky Jackson currently wears the No. 15 for the Minnesota Vikings with Greg Jennings having worn the number recently.

With 15 days until kickoff, here’s a look at every player to wear No. 15 in a regular season game with the Vikings (via Pro Football Reference):

Report: Vikings sign XFL QB Jordan Ta’amu

Ta’amu became the third D.C. Defenders offensive player to sign with the Minnesota Vikings

According to the official XFL Twitter/X account, the Minnesota Vikings have signed D.C. Defender and 2023 XFL Offensive Player of the Year Jordan Ta’amu to a contract.

In the XFL last season, Ta’amu led the Defenders to a 9-1 record and an appearance in the 2023 XFL Championship Game. An alumnus of Ole Miss, Ta’Amu threw for 1,894 passing yards and 14 touchdowns on 62.4% completions and 298 rushing yards en route to saind 9-1 record.

Ta’amu has become a spring league veteran having played for the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks in 2020 and the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits in 2022.

Ta’amu is the third offensive player the Vikings have signed, joining running back Abram Smith and wide receiver Lucky Jackson.

This is likely a week three camp arm signing, but Ta’amu does have an intriguing skill set.

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Vikings 90-man roster player profile: WR Lucky Johnson

After playing in the XFL last season, Lucky Jackson will look use that experience to get him on the 53-man roster.

Welcome to the beginning of our 2023 season preview content!

Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at each player on the roster in-depth with backgrounds and how they currently project forward on the Minnesota Vikings roster.

What is the best-case scenario? What is the worst-case scenario? What should we expect from them during the preseason and beyond? We will break all of that down here.

As a staff, all of us at Vikings Wire ranked the entire 90-man roster 1-90 and will be releasing player profiles in reverse order.

Vikings sign XFL WR Lucky Jackson, waive OLB Kenny Willekes

After a successful season with the XFL’s DC Defenders, wide receiver Lucky Jackson signed with the Minnesota Vikings.

With many XFL players having tryouts across the league, the Minnesota Vikings have joined the party. They have signed wide receiver Lucky Jackson from the XFL’s DC Defenders. In order to make room for him on the roster, they have waived 2020 seventh-round pick outside linebacker Kenny Willekes.

Before playing for the DC Defenders, Jackson was a standout for Western Kentucky. He broke out as a senior in 2019 with 94 receptions, 1,133 yards and four touchdowns.

Since leaving the Hilltoppers, Jackson played in the spring league in 2021, the CFL’s Edmonton Elks in 2022 and the Defenders this spring. For the defenders, he tallied 36 receptions for 572 yards and five touchdowns.

After an injury-plagued career with the Vikings., Willekes was hoping to earn a roster spot this season but it wasn’t meant to be. They could choose to bring him back when Dalvin Cook eventually leaves, but he will hit waivers first.

Meet Lucky Jackson, Western Kentucky’s gem of a WR prospect

Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Western Kentucky wide receiver Lucky Jackson

The 2020 NFL draft class is loaded at wide receiver, with big names from powerhouse programs likely to dominate the early rounds.

But if your favorite NFL team is looking for a steal in the later rounds of this year’s draft, their search should turn up plenty of intriguing options, including Western Kentucky’s Lucky Jackson.

Jackson recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about how he got his nickname, how he was able to put up such big numbers for the Hilltoppers, and what kind of skill set he brings to the next level.

JM: How did you get the nickname “Lucky?”

LJ: It came from my parents actually. They only planned to have one child which was my older sister. I kinda came along and they considered themselves blessed to have a second child. They nicknamed me Lucky and it stuck with me ever since. That’s what everybody calls me now.

JM: I feel like that name could have been in “The Irishman” or something. Let Martin Scorsese hear about it, and he’d cast you immediately.

LJ: Yeah, that’s what people tell me (laughs). My coaches always used to joke around that I could be a country singer or something with a name like that. That’s another funny story, I get that a lot. “Lucky Jackson? You should be a country singer!”

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

JM: It just so happens that you’re a pretty good football player, as well. You posted 94 catches last season, and more than 1,100 receiving yards. How do you look back on the 2019 season?

LJ: It was a good season. It was a great accomplishment for our senior class. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs together, we went through a coaching change. We bounced back in a major way after going 3-9 the year before. We put together a great season and won a lot of games over some great opponents like Charlotte.

We went on to compete in a bowl game and to come out with a win over Western Michigan was the icing on the cake. It was the greatest season I ever had and a terrific team accomplishment. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without our great coaching staff.

JM: What was it about your game in 2019 that allowed you to be so productive?

LJ: I would credit that to me being a student of the game. I learned a lot off the field this year. It’s kinda funny when people think it just happened overnight. I put in a lot of work off the field. The game extends far beyond game-day. If you put in work behind the scenes, I promise you that you’ll see it pay off. I spent a lot of time in the film room and in my playbook. I spent a lot of time in the weight room. I understood where to be on the field at all times.

I think that my football I.Q. is the strongest part of my game. Spending that extra time in the classroom slowed the game down for me. Everything just became so much easier. It all starts to make sense. I was able to play fast.

JM: Do you have a favorite route to run?

LJ: Not in particular. I like any route that gets me the ball (laughs). I can run every route and I would say that I enjoy them equally. I can’t single anything out. I just wanna go up and get the ball.

JM: Who are some of the best defensive backs you’ve squared off with?

LJ: I wouldn’t single out any names in particular but there’s some programs that come to mind. FAU had a good group of cornerbacks. They played some physical defense against me. They’re a long, physical group. We played against Louisiana Tech two years ago and they had a good group, as well. Amik Robertson definitely stood out in that game. He’s pretty well known nation wide, he’s a member of this 2020 NFL draft class. We had some good battles.

JM: If you could catch a pass from one NFL quarterback, who would it be and why?

LJ: It’s tough to pick just one, but I would probably go with Tom Brady. He’s been around forever and he’s the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. Who wouldn’t wanna catch a pass from Tom Brady? Whether you even play football or not, everybody wants to catch a pass from the GOAT. To have that opportunity would be crazy for me.

JM: Why should an NFL team give Lucky Jackson a chance?

LJ: They should give me a chance because I’m a guy that’s gonna come to work every day. I’m gonna give it my all. I’m a reliable guy they can trust both on and off the field.

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