Tag: Thayer Thomas

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 reserve WR Thayer Thomas announces football camp

Minnesota Vikings reserve WR Thayer Thomas has announced a developmental football camp aimed at grades 6-12 at his hometown high school.

From both a fan and media standpoint, one of the most overlooked aspects of being an NFL player is the good the players do in their communities and how much they can give back. That’s especially true of back-of-the-roster guys like Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Thayer Thomas.

While Thomas may not be likely to make the Vikings roster, that won’t stop him from doing everything he can on the field to make the squad. It will also not stop him from giving back to the communities that have given him this opportunity. It’s with that in mind that Thomas announced his first annual “Thayer Thomas Football Camp.”

The camp is designed to be a developmental camp, giving prospective athletes in the area a chance at some skills training, mentorship, and a chance to show what they can do. It will be held June 22nd and 23rd at Heritage High School—Thayer’s former school—in Wake Forest, NC.

While playing for Heritage, Thomas amassed 74 receptions for 695 yards and seven touchdowns before graduating. After graduation, Thayer walked on at North Carolina State, where he finished as the school’s second all-time leader in receptions and receiving touchdowns and fifth all-time in receiving yards.

The two-day camp is $140 and is open to kids in grades 6-12. All proceeds from the camp will go towards the Wolf of Walk-Ons Scholarship Fund.

10 players sign future contracts with Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings signed 10 player from the practice squad to futures contracts, keeping them with the franchise during the offseason.

The Minnesota Vikings began shaping their 2024 roster on Monday afternoon by signing 10 players to futures contracts.

A futures contract is one that a player signs when they aren’t signed to a team’s active roster when the season is over. It is for the league minimum depending on how many service years the player has. The players don’t impact the salary cap until the new league year starts on March 13th.

Each year, teams usually sign in the ballpark of 10 players to futures contracts. They are usually players that have been on their practice squads throughout the year but every so often, teams will sign a player from another practice squad.

The Vikings signed 10 players to futures contracts on Monday afternoon with all of them having been on the practice squad.

Vikings waive two more, including surpise at cornerback

Fans will be disappointed to see who the Vikings cut

Editors note: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero released a correction five minutes after publishing that NaJee Thompson hasn’t been waived.

The Minnesota Vikings have continued to make roster moves. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings have waived CB NaJee Thompson and CB Joejuan Williams. KPRC2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson also reported that the Vikings waived WR Thayer Thomas.

Thomas was not expected to make the roster. He had muffed two punts over the course of the preseason and did not show the requisite juice to separate from NFL corners consistently.

The two that did come as a surprise were cornerbacks Williams and Thompson.

Williams came in and was the most experienced player in the system that Brian Flores runs. He played relatively well during the preseason and was getting first-team reps during nickel situations on multiple occasions.

Thompson was a fan favorite for his ability as a punt gunner. A player that both loves and thrives on special teams, Thompson made multiple plays on special teams that opened eyes. He is a likely practice squad candidate, as is Thomas.

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5 Takeaways from Vikings 18-17 loss vs. Cardinals

Despite most of the starters not playing in the Vikings’ preseason finale, there were still plenty of takeaways.

The Minnesota Vikings closed their preseason with a one-point loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday.

While results do not count towards anything, the loss marks a second-consecutive winless record in preseason. However, the mission of preseason remains the same: evaluating players on the roster bubble.

It’s partly why the Vikings didn’t play many of their starters during the games. For example, Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson spent their time on the sideline without pads, while Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall saw a bulk of the team’s snaps.

Saturday’s game marked a different approach. More and more projected starters or key backups did not appear in the Vikings preseason finale, instead, undrafted free agents and likely roster cuts earned a tryout.

Here are 5 takeaways from those players, who saw most of the first-half snaps.

 

Vikings 90-man roster player profile: WR Thayer Thomas

After five years at North Carolina State, Thayer Thomas looks to earn a roster spot in Minnesota.

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.

89 days until Vikings season opener: Every player to wear No. 89

31 players have worn the No. 89 for the Minnesota Vikings, but who are the standouts of that list?

It’s the final countdown…

Well, sort of.

The Minnesota Vikings will kick off their 2023 regular season in 89 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 that have worn that specific jersey number.

Undrafted rookie Thayer Thomas currently occupies No. 89, but his time on the Vikings roster could be limited. Ultimately, this number has changed hands quite a few times, with only a handful of players wearing it for more than just a season.

With 89 days until kickoff, here’s a look at every player to wear No. 89 with the Vikings (via Pro Football Reference):

Breaking down the Vikings UDFA signings

The Minnesota Vikings brought in 15 UDFA signings. @TheKevinFielder provides an introduction with a brief synopsis of all 15.

While hearing their name called during the NFL Draft is the dream of every college prospect, some don’t get that luxury.

With just 259 draft picks, more players find themselves waiting after Saturday’s conclusion to find their chance. Often forgotten, these undrafted free agents come into the NFL with limited expectations but high hopes.

Over the years, a laundry list of undrafted free agents have carved out long careers, including former Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle, John Randle.

This season, the Vikings signed 15 players to an undrafted free-agent deal. These players will go through the off-season program, hoping to make the team’s 53-man roster before the regular season begins.

Here are each of those signings.

ACC Preview: Prospects to watch and team predictions

ACC Preview: Prospects to watch and team predictions

The 2020 college football season is just around the corner and with a bit of luck this COVID situation will be under control and we can finally enjoy sports again. The Atlantic Coast Conference is packed with a ton of NFL caliber talent and we will cover each team’s most intriguing prospects, their Vegas total and our prediction on whether or not they can reach that total.

Atlantic Division

Boston College Eagles: Vegas Win Total- 5

This team is not good after winning only six games last season, the program elected to press the restart button and hire first time head coach and former Ohio State assistant, Jeff Hafley to run the show. The offense looses a bit of talent, most notably, AJ Dillon, a three-time All-ACC member to the NFL and starting quarterback Anthony Brown via the transfer portal. Their offensive line is fantastic and the defense returns seven starters, but without talent at the skill positions and a better than average defense, its tough to see this team going over the projected five wins. Prediction: Under 5

Top Prospects:

Ben Petrula, OT, 6-5, 310 pounds, Sr.: Petrula was second-team All-ACC last season and will likely be first-team this year. He is a big reason the Eagles were eighth in the country in rushing yards in 2019.

Alec Lindstrom, C, 6-4, 290 pounds, Jr.: Lindstrom should have been All-ACC last season as he is easily a top-tier center in college football, but entering his junior campaign, I’m sure he will garner more attention.

Tyler Vrabel, OT, 6-5, 310 pounds, So.: Vrabel is a redshirt sophomore and will be eligible to declare after this season, but will likely need another season of seasoning. Vrabel is the son of Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Clemson Tigers: Vegas Win Total- 11.5

There is not a lot of wiggle room with this total. Clemson needs to go undefeated to hit the mark and the ACC is a bit tougher this year and they travel to Notre Dame. The Tigers have gone to the playoffs all five times and taking this bet means you are sure they can reach it for a sixth time. Clemson had a high-powered offense and will likely be lighting up the scoreboard again in 2020, but this line is too close for my liking. Prediction: Under 11.5

Top Prospects:

Travis Etienne, RB, 5-10, 210 pounds, Sr.: Would have been in the running for first running back off the board in 2019. Etienne has elite athleticism and will be looking to improve on his already impressive vision and receiving skills in 2020.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, 6-6, 220 pounds, Jr.: The odds-on favorite to be the number one selection in 2021, Lawrence is on the path to be one of the best NFL prospects in recent history. He will be looking to rebound from his first collegiate loss, which occurred in the CFP championship game.

Justyn Ross, WR, 6-4, 205 pounds, Jr.: Ross is going to miss the entire season due to a serious spinal injury, but he is still an elite prospect with a giant catch radius and lethal athletic profile. His 2019 season was a bit disappointing, but he is still a productive big-play machine.

Florida State Seminoles: Vegas Win Total- 7.5

Mike Norvell is in charge now and if Willie Taggart can win six games than Norvell should be able to tack on at least two more victories with this squad. This isn’t the safest bet considering that the Seminole offensive line is garbage, the quarterback is not a game-breaker and the defense appears lackluster, but it would not be surprising to see a fast turnaround considering that this team didn’t even play hard last year. Norvell will change that issue in a hurry. Prediction: Over 7.5

Top Prospects:

Marvin Wilson, DT, 6-5, 310 pounds, Sr.: The full package interior defensive lineman, Wilson checks every box and although he missed a portion of last season due to a hand injury, he would have likely been a day one or two anyways.

Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, 6-4, 212 pounds, Sr.: All-ACC level performer, Nasirildeen led the Seminoles in tackles the last two seasons. He plays at an elite level and that was most evident in his 22 tackle performance against Boston College last season.

James Blackman, QB, 6-5, 190 pounds, Jr.: By the way people talk about him you would never guess Blackman has 41 career touchdowns and 5,079 career passing yards to his name. He has already started 23 games for Florida State, but with a competent Mike Norvell running the show, expect a big leap from Blackman in 2020.

Louisville Cardinals: Vegas Win Total- 7.5

Louisville had the biggest turnaround of any Power-Five school last season with a six-win improvement from two wins in 2018 to eight in 2019, but this team was very fortunate and will likely come back down to reality in 2020. They lose one of the best offensive lineman in school history with the Mekhi Becton departure and their defense is floating around the below-average tier. Their schedule is also back-loaded with a murderous five-game stretch to end the year. Prediction: Under 7.5

Top Prospects:

Tutu Atwell, WR, 5-10, 153 pounds, Jr.: A dynamic All-ACC level athlete, Atwell has speed for days. He scored 11 receiving touchdowns last season with six of them going for at least 50 yards.

Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, 6-2, 204 pounds, Sr.: Despite only hauling in 35 receptions last season, Fitzpatrick still managed to take six to the house and flirted with declaring for the NFL. He would have been an early-round selection after 2019, and with what we can assume will be more targets in 2020, the sky is the limit in regard to his draft stock.

Javian Hawkins, RB, 5-9, 182 pounds, So.: Another All-ACC performer, Hawkins led all freshmen with an average of 117 rushing yards per game last season. Despite being undersized, Hawkins runs like a big back taking on a full workload and running through oncoming defenders.

NC State Wolfpack: Vegas Win Total- 5

This feels like free money, as the Wolfpack won four games last season and return most of their major contributors. The team is young and if they peak early there is no reason they can’t double those four games in 2020. Dave Doeren is fighting for his job this season and this team has always played with top-notch physicality before. With his feet to the flames, a turnaround should be expected. If you do lose this bet, you can take solace in the fact that Doeren will lose his job. Prediction: Over 5

Ikem Ekwonu, OT, 6-4, 308 pounds, So.: Ekwonu was granted his first start by default after an injury occurred to the regular starting tackle, but Ekwonu was better than expected and earned All-ACC honors.

Trenton Gill, P, 6-4, 217 pounds, Jr.: One of the best punters in the ACC, Gill averaged a healthy 47.6 yards per punt and ended the season with All-ACC honors.

Thayer Thomas, WR, 6-0, 195 pounds, Jr.: Another All-ACC performer, Thomas is an electric return man in addition to being an excellent receiver. the Wolfpack used Thomas all over the field and he even attempted passes before injuries took their toll.

Syracuse Orange: Vegas Win Total- 5.5

Syracuse lost a lot of starters and missing spring ball to COVID-19 is not going to help them. They won five games last season, but I don’t see how they can improve on that mark. The offensive line is just not good enough and the defense as a whole is too disappointing to take the over here. Prediction: Under 5.5

Top Prospects:

Chris Elmore, TE, 6-0, 292 pounds, Sr.: Elmore is a reliable player that can do the dirty work. The NFL will view him as a fullback/H-Back hybrid player and although that is a niche position he could excel at it.

Andre Cisco, S, 6-0, 206 pounds, Jr.: Cisco is an All-ACC performer for good reason as evidenced by his already insane 12 career interceptions, which makes him the active leader in the FBS. Coaches love him and his elite awareness and ball skills make him a perfect safety.

Andre Szmyt, K, 6-1, 191 pounds, Jr.: Another All-ACC player, Szmyt won the Lou Groza award in 2018 and had an equally impressive 2019 season nailing 17 of his 20 field goal attempts.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Vegas Win Total- 6.5

Wake Forest won eight games last season and that number would have been larger if not for a cluster of injuries. The offense only returns three starters and the schedule is a tad tougher, but Dave Clawson appears to have this program moving in the right direction and they should be able to surpass the six game mark. Prediction: Over 6.5

Top Prospects:

Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr., DE, 6-5, 275 pounds, Sr.: Basham is an All-American level performer as evidenced by his dominating 18 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and three forced fumbles last season. Extremely underrated due to coming from Wake Forest, but Basham has early-round potential.

Sage Surratt, WR, 6-3, 215 pounds, Jr.: Surratt was named first-team All-ACC last year despite suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against Virginia Tech halfway through the season. He has managed to haul in 15 career receiving touchdowns in 19 career games.

Nick Sciba, K, 5-9, 190 pounds, Jr.: Like Basham, Sciba earned All-American honors and rightfully so after setting an NCAA record with 34 straight field goals made.

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