Infamous Ex-Vikings Receiver Gets the Boot in Baltimore
K. Joudry
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The Baltimore Ravens look to be Super Bowl frontrunners in the AFC. True, the Bills or Chiefs could create some magic (which is to say nothing of what C.J. Stroud is accomplishing for the Texans), but John Harbaugh’s team looks like a juggernaut.
Unfortunately, wide receiver Laquon Treadwell has (at last temporarily) been subtracted from the equation.
According to Baltimore’s official social media, the ex-Vikings receiver has been waived. Notably, the decision to waive Treadwell coincides with Baltimore’s decision to designate tight end Mark Andrews to return from the IR (per the team itself). Plus, Dalvin Cook was just signed to the Ravens’ practice squad, but the expectation is that he’ll be active for the playoffs.
Laquon Treadwell, The Infamous Ex-Vikings Receiver, Gets the Boot in Baltimore
At no point in his Vikings tenure did Treadwell look like a 1st-round receiver.
His rookie season resulted in just a single reception for 15 scoreless yards. He was active for nine games, starting one, while picking up 80 snaps on offense and 47 snaps on special teams. Coaches and analysts encouraged patience, but the discouragement among fans was palpable. Minnesota’s history of drafting receivers has contained wonderful highs and horrible lows; Vikings fans, in turn, are very willing to give voice to praise or criticism accordingly.
A second year with 20 catches, 200 yards, and 0 TDs alongside a third year with 35 catches, 302 yards, and 1 TD was enough for most Vikings fans to be willing to move on. And, in truth, experiencing a change of scenery as a young player who isn’t meeting expectations is often the best move. After a step back as a fourth-year player — 9 catches, 184 yards, 1 TD — Treadwell hit the open market.
His NFL journey has included stops in Atlanta, Jacksonville, New England, Arizona, Seattle, and now Baltimore. Statistically, Treadwell was at his best as a Jaguar, putting together 33 catches, 434 yards, and 1 TD in 2021. Many will remember that year as Trevor Lawrence’s first in the NFL while Urban Meyer was, well, doing things that Urban Meyer does.
The simple fact that Treadwell has bounced around so much points to a bit of a paradox.
Being unable to stick around in a single location suggests that he routinely finds himself on the roster bubble, lacking the requisite talent to continue demanding a spot on a team with limited openings. And yet the fact that he continues getting more opportunities suggests that teams still see ability in him. He’s only 28. And, of course, there was a reason why the 6’2″, 215-pound receiver was selected 23rd overall. The man does have talent.
John Harbaugh is pursuing his second Super Bowl as Baltimore’s head coach. Doing so will involve Lamar Jackson continuing to play at an MVP level and for the Ravens’ defense to keep being ferocious.
Moreover, there’s at least some hope that Dalvin Cook can solidify the rushing attack. At his best, Cook is a supremely elusive runner who creates separation by gliding away from defenders before kicking on the jets to burst into open space. Plenty of skepticism exists for whether that player is still present, but Baltimore seems like the safest bet for Cook to reclaim some of that former magic.
True, he wasn’t as good as before while operating in the Jets’ disaster of an offense, but Cook put together 264 carries, 1,173 yards, and 8 TDs last season. A complete and total drop off for the remainder of his playing days would be odd. Not impossible, but strange.
Seeing Cook pile up yards during the postseason would go a long way in convincing RB-needy teams to give him a look in March once free agency gets started.
Mr. Treadwell has moved back and forth between Baltimore’s roster and practice squad throughout the season. The hope will be for the receiver to continue the trend, sticking around the Ravens’ facility as a valuable depth piece who could be called upon to jump into game action as the Ravens go on their run.
Treadwell picked up 3 targets and 1 catch for the Ravens during the 2023 season. His grab went for 16 yards and a first down.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap 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.