Former Vikings WR Joins 49ers for Potential Playoff Run
Josh Frey
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Another former Vikings WR is on the move this week. Tajae Sharpe played with the Vikings during the 2020 season, and now, he hops over to the San Francisco 49ers to help with their potential playoff run. In order to free up room for Sharp, the Niners released TE Troy Fumagalli.
The 49ers sit at 4-4 and in the heart of the race for that final wild card spot. They currently hold that No. 7 seed in the NFC, and they would make the trek to U.S. Bank Stadium and play the Vikings if the playoffs began today.
Sharpe appeared in four games for the Vikings during 2020, but he provided virtually no production for the offense. He joined the team as a hopeful option for wide receiver depth following the Stefon Diggs trade. The result was quite the opposite as he was targeted just three times and caught zero passes. He was waived by the Vikings on December 14th, 2020.
Overall, Sharpe has been a journeyman throughout his NFL career. The 49ers stand as his sixth NFL team that he’s played for over his six-year NFL career.
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The wide receiver was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round of the 2016 Draft. He was taken 140th overall. Sharpe spent three years with the Titans, and he actually got off to quite a strong start with his rookie year. He caught 41 passes for 522 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Unfortunately, that single season stands for virtually a third of Sharpe’s total production over the course of his career. The 27-year-old receiver is yet to break 30 receptions in a season since then, and the most receiving yards he’s recorded since his rookie campaign is 329.
Following his three-year stint with the Titans, Sharpe had his very unproductive season with the Vikings in 2020 before moving on to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021. However, he was released prior to the season’s start, and he quickly moved on to the Atlanta Falcons.
With the Falcons, Sharpe recorded 25 receptions and 230 receiving yards before hitting free agency once again. This spring, he signed with the Chicago Bears and played through the preseason with the Vikings rivals. However, he suffered an injury and Chicago placed him on IR prior to the regular season’s start. On September 9th, the Bears released him with an injury settlement.
Following his release from Chicago, Sharpe spent the first nine weeks of the season without a team. Now, the 49ers swoop in and hope he once again can provide some WR depth as Deebo Samuel continues to recover from an injury of his own.
Overall, Sharpe has appeared in 66 regular season games and he’s caught 117 passes for 1397 yards and 8 TDs. He’s also appeared in three playoff games, all with the 2019 Titans, and he caught one pass for six yards during that run.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.