Infamous Ex-Viking Gets Cut
Well, the Patriots have decided to move on. Or, at least, they’re moving on for now.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, as he often does, relayed the news of the roster transaction. The New England Patriots have decided to cut Jalen Reagor. The ex-Viking will now need to look for work elsewhere unless he can snag a spot on NE’s practice squad.
Jalen Reagor, The Infamous Ex-Viking, Has Been Cut
Why the insistence on infamy? Just the history of the draft.
Philadelphia was picking a spot ahead of Minnesota back in 2020. The Vikings were desperately hoping that Justin Jefferson would fall to them, but it was no guarantee with the Eagles owning the pick one spot in front. Rather than opt for the historically-great Jefferson, Howie Roseman sunk No. 21 into Mr. Reagor. Rick Spielman laughed in real time, giddily going to the mic to pick Jefferson shortly thereafter.
After a couple of underwhelming seasons in Philly, Jalen Reagor was traded to Minnesota in an ironic twist. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the current GM, has shown an affinity for giving highly-picked, yet-underperforming players a shot and Reagor is simply one example.
As a Viking in 2022, the WR/PR played in all seventeen games but didn’t pickup a start on offense. His 13 targets turned into 8 catches, 104 yards, and 1 touchdown. In other words, his season’s production would be a humdrum game for Jefferson.
As a punt returner, things didn’t got particularly well. He had 26 returns go for 167 yards, averaging just 6.4 yards per return. That underwhelming number largely contributed to Minnesota handing things over to Brandon Powell in 2023.
Indeed, the Vikings waived the receiver/returner in late August of 2023. The Patriots swooped in shortly thereafter, onboarding him to their practice squad.
During the 2023 season, Reagor went back and forth between New England’s practice squad and active roster. He played in eleven games, turning 23 targets into 7 receptions for 138 yards.
Fans looking for a reunion in Minnesota are very likely to be disappointed. True, the Vikings subtracted one return man in Kene Nwangwu, but re-adding Jalen Reagor is a long way off for Minnesota. The Vikings will once again lean on Mr. Powell for punt return responsibilities. On kickoff, Ty Chandler and Powell look like frontrunners.
The practice squad also has options in players like DeWayne McBride, Thayer Thomas, and Lucky Jackson.
Jalen Reagor stands at 5’11” and weighs 197 pounds. He ran a 4.47 forty and tossed up 17 reps on the bench press leading into the draft. Reagor, in short, is a tremendously gifted athlete.
He’s only 25, so his NFL career is far from over.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.