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The Minnesota Vikings roster is coming together after a week of NFL free agency. However, there are still needs as the signings die down and the NFL draft looms. After cutting Adam Thielen, the team’s biggest need right now is another Vikings wide receiver to play alongside All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson.
The biggest need after the first week of NFL free agency is a Vikings wide receiver
The Vikings have been active in NFL free agency this offseason. They’ve re-signed several key players like center Garrett Bradbury and running back Alexander Mattison. The team also made a big splash by bringing in defensive end Marcus Davenport from the New Orleans Saints, cornerback Byron Murphy from the Arizona Cardinals, and linebacker Troy Reeder from the Los Angeles Chargers.
Minnesota also lost some key veterans to other teams, though. CB Patrick Patterson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson went to the Cleveland Browns, and LB Eric Kendricks went to the Chargers.
Possibly the biggest loss of all, though, was Vikings wide receiver, Adam Thielen. The team had to cut the career-long Viking to make salary cap room this offseason. And Thielen got a big new deal to catch passes from the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft (whoever that may be) with the Carolina Panthers.
Letting Thielen go was a necessary move for the franchise, but the team must replace him on the Vikings roster with a real weapon. If not, life will get a lot harder for Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson next season.
With the NFL draft a month away and NFL free agency winding down, the organization currently has Jefferson, K.J. Osborn, Jalen Reagor, Jalen Nailor, Trishton Jackson, and Blake Proehl on the Vikings roster.
The team also signed Brandon Powell from the Los Angeles Rams in NFL free agency.
There are plenty of decent NFL wideouts on the list above, but no dynamic No. 2 to take the defenses’ focus away from Jefferson. That’s why finding a new Vikings wide receiver is the biggest team need after a week of NFL free agency.
Although free agency is only a little over a week old, the market is starting to get pretty thin. And the WR market was relatively weak in 2023, to begin with. The Vikings reportedly had conversations with Mecloe Hardman from the Kansas City Chiefs, but he opted to join the New York Jets.
Odell Beckham Jr. is by far the best free agent available right now, but it doesn’t sound like Minnesota is on his radar.
From a free agent perspective, the Vikings will have to take a risk to sign a wideout who could become a No. 2 in 2023. That risk is WR Robbie Anderson (or Chosen Anderson, as he is going by now). The speedy pass-catcher pouted his way out of Carolina last season, and after a trade to the Cardinals, Anderson just seven balls for 76 yards.
Still, in the right circumstances, Anderson can be a deep threat to help spread out the secondary and give Jefferson more room to operate.
Outside of Anderson, the best WRs left on the market include Marvin Jones, Olamide Zaccheaus, Deandre Carter, and TY Hilton. Those players could be useful, but none have the upside of Anderson.
With the dearth of WR talent on the NFL free agency market right now, the best bet to get a new Vikings wide receiver is through the NFL draft.
The Vikings pick No. 23 overall, and there should be several pass-catchers available. The only problem is, like the free-agent market, the 2023 WR draft class isn’t that strong either.
However, there will still be at least four wideouts to come off the board in Round 1. These players are Jaxson Smith-Njigba from Ohio State, Zay Flowers from Boston College, Quentin Johnston from TCU, and Jordan Addison from USC.
Heading into the NFL draft combine, Johnston seemed like the No. 1 WR off the board. After the league’s testing weekend, though, Smith-Njigba proved his health and Flowers showed off his athleticism, meaning they may go ahead of Johnston now.
If they do, that’s fantastic for the Vikings roster. If eth former Horned Frog is there at No. 23, the team should snatch him up ASAP. While all the other first-round wideouts are a bit niche in one way or another, the 6-foot-3, 208-pound Johnston is well-rounded enough to develop into an elite pass-catcher in the NFL.
Johnston was inconsistent at times at TCU, but with Kirk Cousins throwing to him and Justin Jefferson ensuring single coverage, he has a chance to be a major steal at the back end of the first round.