Under-the-Radar Vikings Receiver Draws Shoutout
The main attractions in the first preseason contest were rookies Dallas Turner and J.J. McCarthy. Unfortunately, Vikings fans won’t get to see quarterback McCarthy for a while after a meniscus tear required surgery. Turner, meanwhile, excelled in his debut and showed why everyone was high on him in the draft.
Under-the-Radar Vikings Receiver Draws Another Shoutout
He looked like a player who was way too good to play in the preseason, which is a wonderful sign. On offense, star weapons Aaron Jones and Justin Jefferson were rested, and T.J. Hockenson is still recovering from his knee injury. Jordan Addison got some reps.
But a couple of other receivers shined on offense: Jalen Nailor and Trishton Jackson.
Nailor seems to have secured an important role on offense, perhaps as the WR3, succeeding K.J. Osborn. Jackson, on the other hand, is a wildcard. He’s been on the team for years, but his 100-yard performance might have given him some traction to be on the initial version of the 53-man roster for the first time in his fourth year with the Vikings.
Fellow wideout Jefferson is a big proponent of the 26-year-old. He mentioned his teammate after the conclusion of the joint practices with the Browns in Cleveland: “He’s a dog. He’s from Detroit. He has that Detroit mindset. Just the way he comes to work every single day — he’s a hooper, so he knows how to move and how to get open.”
Jackson joined the Vikings practice squad after the Los Angeles Rams (with offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell) released him in 2021. A year later, the two reunited following O’Connell’s nomination as the team’s head coach.
Jefferson added: “The catch point of the ball, he’s definitely making plays out there. He’s showing up every time on the film, so the more he shows up, the more has a chance to be out there on the field on Sundays.”
Surely, Jefferson and Addison will be on the field on Sundays. They are currently slated to be supported by Brandon Powell and Nailor, who are vying for the WR3 job. Then, a plethora of wideouts could be numbers five and six ‒ if the Vikings want to keep that many. Last year, while the numbers changed over time, they mostly had five receivers rostered.
The team’s first unofficial depth chart listed him in the third team.
- Starters: Justin Jefferson/Jordan Addison
- Backups: Jalen Nailor/Brandon Powell
- Third-String: Trishton Jackson/Jeshaun Jones/Trent Sherfield Sr.
- Fourth-String: Lucky Jackson/Ty James/Thayer Thomas/Malik Knowles
Jeshaun Jones has distanced himself from fellow UDFA Ty James and last year’s undrafted rookies Thayer Thomas and Malik Knowles, while Trent Sherfield Sr. is a veteran in the league whose blocking skills have drawn praise from his coaches.
One element that should be noted is that Addison left Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury. O’Connell clarified that he doesn’t foresee a prolonged absence, but it remains to be seen whether the dynamic sophomore will be back at 100% on September 8 when the Vikings kick off their campaign.
Jackson entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2020, signing with the Rams. After spending an entire season on their team without seeing the field, he was released and headed to Minnesota. Since then, he has been a standout in the preseason and on the practice squad.
In 2023, Jackson was active in seven games, making his NFL debut in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Throughout the season, the receiver caught two passes for nine yards on 80 offensive snaps, including a crucial two-point conversion against the Atlanta Falcons.
It feels like Jackson makes a splashy play in training camp daily, and he was phenomenal in the preseason contest. The “dog from Detroit” will be a man in the spotlight once the 53-man roster is finalized.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt