The Good and Not-So-Good From The 2021 Minnesota Vikings Wide Receivers
Cole Smith
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As was the case for most of the Minnesota Vikings roster in the 2021 season, the wide receivers had an up-and-down year. While Justin Jefferson improved on his record-breaking rookie season, Adam Thielen was hampered by an ankle surgery for the final month of the season. For the first time in years, though, a third wide receiver stepped up to the plate. A rookie also flashed late in the year, offering a glimpse of the unit’s potential depth. The unit, as a whole, can be quite intriguing for the next coaching staff of the Minnesota Vikings.
What Went Right
Justin Jefferson improved upon his rookie season. He had some early drops, but he soon got those out of the way during his sophomore year. With an extra game, his season totals were bound to improve. But his game-to-game stats still improved in both areas. He averaged 6.4 receptions-per-game in 2021 (up from 5.5 in 2020) and 95.1 yards-per-game in 2021 (up from 87.5 in 2020).
A slight controversy arose in the final game of the year, though, as Jefferson was sitting at 1,616 yards receiving on the year. That trailed only Randy Moss’ 1,632 yards in team history for a single year. Ultimately, the Vikings ran the clock out because Zimmer didn’t think too highly of the record.
Thielen once again proved to be a reliable redzone target despite not possessing abnormal size at his position. He caught seven of his ten touchdowns inside the 20-yard line.
But the big storyline for the Minnesota Vikings receivers was second-year player K.J. Osborn. The Miami product spent most of his rookie season disappointing at punt returner, not even seeing a snap at receiver. He was far from a lock to make the team in 2021.
That changed, though, when he began making plays in preseason. Fans began buzzing about the prospects of him being the team’s WR3. He caught seven passes for 76 yards in Week 1. The following week against Arizona, he caught a 64-yard touchdown pass on the second play from scrimmage. And in Week 6 against Carolina, his 27-yard touchdown reception in overtime gave the Vikings a 34-28 victory. Osborn’s 50 receptions ranked fourth on the team. His 655 yards and seven touchdowns both ranked third.
Even rookie Ihmir Smith-Marsette found the field near the end of the season. After only one reception through the first 14 weeks of the season, he caught his first career touchdown on Monday Night Football in a 17-9 victory over the Bears. In the season-finale, Smith-Marsette caught all three targets in his direction, going for 103 yards and a touchdown.
What Went Wrong
The Vikings entered Week 12 at 5-6. Facing the winless Detroit, Thielen caught a screen pass and injured his ankle. He missed the remainder of the game and only played once the rest of the season. The Vikings’ offense wasn’t the same with him out of the lineup as teams rolled even more coverage towards Jefferson.
Third-year wideout Bisi Johnson tore his ACL in camp and missed the entire season. Fifth-year wideout Dede Westbrook produced some excitement and was thought to be a legitimate contender for the WR3 spot when he was signed in July. However, he only caught 10 passes for 68 yards. He caught only three passes for nine yards following the Week 7 bye week. He did return punts, though, recording a respectable 8.3 yards-per-return average.
What To Expect Moving Forward
A new offensive scheme can do wonders for this group. Many fans still feel that Justin Jefferson hasn’t been used correctly his first two seasons, and a thoughtful, purposeful approach to center the offense around him and not running back Dalvin Cook could open the entire offense.
Thielen will likely be back, even though he may be asked to restructure his contract. He hasn’t eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving since 2018, and in 2021 he only recorded 100 yards once. But he’s one of the longest-tenured players in the locker room and can still be productive. Hell, a reduced role might actually be beneficial for him.
Osborn looks to be the real deal, and another leap in Year 3 could bring some special things. I’m still not sold on him being able to be counted on at WR2, but as was noted earlier, no one expected him to even make the team this year.
The true wild card, though, is Ihmir Smith-Marsette. He has some playmaking potential. Whether that’s being used for more gadget plays in 2022 or just a more concentrated emphasis on being a true wide receiver, he flashed enough to warrant a long look. But he’s still unpolished, and a three-deep receiving room looks good until somebody gets hurt. Wideout may not be the biggest priority this off-season, but adding big, young, outside receivers could be just what the Minnesota Vikings need.
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