Vikings Receivers

Minnesota Vikings' receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs emerged as one of the league's top pass-catching duos in 2016. Each year since cemented that status. It was supposed to continue. Thielen, at 29, has prime years ahead of him. Diggs, at 26, is just scratching his prime years. It was supposed to continue. Sadly, it won't. The Buffalo Bills found the right number of draft picks to pry Diggs from Minnesota. One of the league's best pass catching duos and one of the most fun pass-catching duos in Vikings franchise history is no more. Very sad. The football still spins. A week after Diggs was sadly traded to Buffalo, the Vikings signed Tennessee Titans receiver Tajaé Sharpe. If games were to be played today, Sharpe is probably starting opposite Thielen. Sharpe is a fine addition. He doesn't have the startling quickness but he does have many of the other traits that make Diggs an outstanding receiver. Sharpe is an excellent route runner with terrific hands. That's a grand place to start. Diggs was so great with contested catches that he often played bigger than his 6' size. Sharpe is bigger with his 6'2" size. Sharpe might not have Diggs' quickness but it's not like he runs in mud. He's run a 4.55 forty. He's gotten past NFL defensive backs but it's fairly safe to say that his specialty is running crisp short to immediate routes. Kirk Cousins should like him. And I like him on the field with Thielen.

The Vikings' current roster of receivers:

Adam Thielen
Tajaé Sharpe
Olabisi Johnson
Chad Beebe
Alexander Hollins
Davion Davis
Dillon Mitchell
Bralon Addison

Olabisi Johnson was something of a revelation as a seventh-round rookie last season. He stepped up when Thielen was out for several weeks with a hamstring injury. Johnson should only improve and provide a solid, steady receiving presence on the roster. Until he can stay on the field for a string of games, Chad Beebe will be a mystery. He was supposed to be the third receiver last season but was lost early to an injury. His long catch and run against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 is the sort of play that has everyone intrigued as to the receiver that he could become. Alexander Hollins is the only remaining receiver on the roster that's played any regular season snaps. Cousins trusted him enough to throw deep on a key third down against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs. The game wouldn't have been the nail-biter that ended up being if Hollins had made the catch. The fact that he was on the field in that situation and that Cousins threw to him is an indication that team and quarterback have confidence in Hollins. Davion Davis and Dillon Mitchell have intriguing athletic traits. Each flashed at times during training camp last summer.

The 2020 NFL Draft is very deep in receivers. It's so ridiculously deep with receivers that NFL Draft Analyst Daniel Jeremiah has 27 receivers with a grade of at least the third round. It wouldn't be a surprise if two of those 27 receivers is added to the Vikings' receiver group. Perhaps one of the team's two first round picks will be used on a receiver. Even with Diggs, receiver was a draft need. Maybe not a first- or second-round need but it was a need. Adding at least a couple of rookies to the Vikings' current receiver group is likely. The additions will make a modest group potentially solid. There will be competition at the top and very interesting competition for the final roster spots. The receivers will be better with the additions and the resulting competition. The Vikings no longer have one of the pass-catching duos in the league but they might have a deeper, more complete receiving group competing for spots this summer.