Minnesota Vikings Roster: The Receivers

A look at the Minnesota Vikings training camp roster continues.

Next up: The Receivers

The Minnesota Vikings receiver group is fronted by one of the best in the league. Justin Jefferson. He wants to be THE best. He has the competitive drive and the talent to get there. Jefferson’s first two years in the league have been unprecedented. His career start has been so great that he’s kinda made the still very productive and dangerous Adam Thielen an afterthought. Jefferson and Thielen are one of the best pass-catching duos in the league. K.J. Osborn emerged last season as a legitimate third-option. After that, it’s a wide-open race to the 53-man roster. 

Minnesota Vikings Roster: The Receivers

Justin Jefferson

Adam Thielen

K.J. Osborn

Ihmir Smith-Marsette

Olabisi Johnson

Albert Wilson

Dan Chisena

Jalen Nailor

Trishton Jackson

Myron Mitchell

Blake Proehl

Thomas Hennigan

Vikings training camp isn’t even a week old. Pads come on today. Despite the early stages of the process, Ihmir Smith-Marsette appears to be emerging and Olabisi Johnson appears to be back from the knee injury that robbed him of his third season. Smith-Marsette may even challenge Osborn for WR3 snaps. They are such different receivers. Perhaps it’s a limiting description of each but Osborn is a gritty receiver and Smith-Marsette is a bit more explosive. 

Top Competition: 

After Jefferson, Thielen, and Osborn, the receiver competition is wide open. In roster projections, I’ve gone so many different directions in trying to figure out this position group. It’s probably best to just let it play out. That’s what fans should probably do with every position. 

A player that could surprise:

Trishton Jackson. I haven’t seen or heard much about him. I just have this feeling that he could surprise. 

Excited to see: 

Jalen Nailor. I think that punt returns is his initial path to the 53-man roster. I suppose it’s because of his injury-riddled college career and Day 3 draft status but Nailor reminds me a little bit of a rookie Stefon Diggs. A similar career trajectory sure would be nice. 

The guess here is that Vikings decision-makers will have some very tough receiver decisions to make. I currently see the following on the roster.

Justin Jefferson

Adam Thielen

K.J. Osborn

Ihmir Smith-Marsette 

Olabisi Johnson

Jalen Nailor

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Remembering Big K. RIP Korey Stringer.