Vikings Should Trade for Kevin O’Connell’s Old Friend
The Minnesota Vikings arguably employ the league’s number-one receiver. Recently-turned 25-year-old Justin Jefferson signed his costly contract extension worth $35 million per season. He has been the face of the franchise and is now paid as such. In four seasons with the organization, Jefferson caught 392 passes for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns, collecting various awards, honors, and records.
Vikings Should Trade for Kevin O’Connell’s Old Friend
Following the departure of Adam Thielen last offseason, Jets needed a new wingman. That person arrived in the draft when general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pulled the trigger to acquire Jordan Addison, a former Biletnikoff Award winner out of USC and Pittsburgh. He has shown enough promise in his rookie season to be considered a longtime WR2 for the team.
Behind that duo, however, the Vikings could use another established weapon next to punt returner Brandon Powell, veteran journeyman Trent Sherfield, and injury-plagued Jalen Nailor. Adofo-Mensah should give an AFC team a call.
The Houston Texans employ a plethora of receivers, especially after trading for Stefon Diggs. He joined a group of wideouts featuring Nico Collins, rookie standout Tank Dell, and veteran depth option Noah Brown. It might be the best crew of receivers in the entire league, although one guy hasn’t even been named yet: Robert Woods.
Woods was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft by the Buffalo Bills, where he logged between 552 and 699 yards in all four seasons. He joined Sean McVay’s Rams in 2017 by signing a five-year $34 million deal, and his numbers finally matched the talent. Woods topped 1,000 yards in 2018 and 2019.
In 2020, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell arrived in Los Angeles as the new offensive coordinator. Woods tabulated 936 receiving yards and a career-high six touchdowns in his first season under O’Connell. 2021 was a big year for the Rams, with a trip to the Super Bowl. However, Woods tore his ACL nine games into the season and missed the remainder of the campaign. He still caught 45 passes for 556 yards and four touchdowns despite Cooper Kupp’s heavy usage rate and the limited playing time.
His contract expired, and he joined the Titans, followed by a campaign with the Texans last year. In 14 contests in his age-31 season in Houston, Woods caught 40 passes for 426 yards. Dell’s and Collins’ emergence and Brown’s excellent stretch in the middle of the season hurt his number, but he still produced at a respectable level.
The Texans would save $6.25 million by trading him away. That is a large number for a player who is slated to be the team’s fourth or fifth receiver. On the other hand, the Vikings have over $26 million in cap space and could easily afford his salary.
Long story short, the Vikings have an opening on the depth chart for a reliable WR3 and the cap space to acquire a player, and the Texans have too many receivers. Woods is also O’Connell’s former player, and connections are important in the NFL.
Woods is no longer the dynamic first or second option he once was, but he knows the scheme and is a savvy veteran who could play the third fiddle in Minnesota’s passing attack until T.J. Hockenson returns from his injury. Because of the crowded receiver room in Houston, Woods’ age, and the contract, a late-round pick swap should get the deal done and immediately boost Minnesota’s WR group.
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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