Minnesota Vikings Receivers

For the first time since 2013, Adam Thielen won’t be a part of the Minnesota Vikings receiver group. He’s with the Carolina Panthers now. Very strange. As he has since the third game of his rookie season, Justin Jefferson tops the the Vikings receiver group. Now, he’s also the leader of the group. After the first wave of free agency, here’s a look at the Vikings receivers.

Minnesota Vikings Receivers

Justin Jefferson

K.J. Osborn

Jalen Reagor

Jalen Nailor

Trishton Jackson

Blake Proehl

Thomas Hennigan

As long as Jefferson’s on the roster, the Vikings receivers will be formidable. Still, he and Kirk Cousins need some help. After his mid-season arrival, tight end T.J. Hockenson immediately became the team’s #2 receiving option. Even with Thielen on the field. Hockenson will continue to be an important part of the Vikings offense and likely the team’s #2 receiving option. That’s great but there’s still a need for receivers to compliment Jefferson and provide additional options for Cousins. For two seasons, K.J. Osborn has been a steady third receiver with Jefferson and Thielen. Osborn had games last season (the comeback against the Indianapolis Colts in particular) in which he played like a game-changing receiver. When he’s gotten opportunities, he’s taken advantage of them. He’s shown that he can be much more than a complimentary receiver. He just has to do it more consistently and more often. The two Jalens (Reagor and Nailor) are intriguing players. Jalen Reagor was a first round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was infamously selected just ahead of Jefferson. Now, they are teammates. The Vikings traded for him just before the start of the 2022 season. He made a few brilliant plays last season. He also made some significant mistakes. His main role was returning punts. His ceiling is very high as his athletic talents are legitimate. Those physical gifts got him drafted ahead of Jefferson. I suppose the hope is that a complete offseason and training camp in the Vikings system will allow Reagor’s terrific talents to hopefully mesh with the team. He’s a wildcard player. If it works, he’s a very high upside player. It it doesn’t work, team and player move on. Jalen Nailor was a sixth round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He might’ve been drafted much higher if injuries hadn’t peppered his college career. His first NFL catch was thrown by punter Ryan Wright. It was that sort of rookie season. He scored his first NFL touchdown and torched the Green Bay Packers backups in Week 17. Nicknamed “Speedy,” Nailor may be the fastest receiver on the team. If I had to pick a break out player for the Vikings this season, Nailor would be one of the top options. Trishton Jackson has been on the edge of the roster for a couple seasons. Blake Proehl and Thomas Hennigan have dealt with injuries. All three should have another shot at a roster spot. 

Last season, the Vikings offense had a tendency to stagnate if Justin Jefferson was taken out of the game. Other players must step up and make defenses pay when so much attention is paid to one player. An improved run game will help. So will the emergence of alternate receiving options. K.J. Osborn is a good receiver and a very good football player. Is he more than a complimentary player? The Vikings need a receiver, or receivers, that can take the top off of a defense. Can Jalen Reagor or Jalen Nailor be that player? I like the potential of the three receivers behind Jefferson. Osborn has been productive. The Jalens have yet to do much. Until those three receivers truly establish themselves as a legitimate, every-down threat, receiver is one of the Vikings most significant needs.