The Vikings Outmuscled 3 Other Teams for New Offensive Weapon
Last week, the Vikings arrived at a deal with wide receiver Rondale Moore, a still-young veteran who is well-known for his blazing speed.
Sitting behind that simple signing is a fascinating tidbit: Minnesota was in direct competition with several other teams to sign Moore. On March 19th, Mike Garafolo of The NFL Network succinctly detailed the tour: “WR Rondale Moore is visiting the #Titans today, source says. Former second-round pick of the #AZCardinals is in the midst of a tour of teams, having met with the #Bears, #Jets and #Vikings as he resets after a knee injury in camp ended his 2024 season with the #Falcons.”
The Vikings Overcame a Trio of Teams for Rondale Moore
When discussing Moore’s visit with the Bears, a piece on PurplePTSD offered an assessment of what the receiver is likely considering.
“In his career, Rondale Moore has made close to $7 million. Presumably, the team that gives him a chance to make good money in 2025 while also committing to featuring him prominently — so that he can command more money on a future deal — is going to win the sweepstakes,” the piece argues.
Further: “For whatever it’s worth, the Vikings received top-notch marks yet again from the NFLPA report card. Maybe that helps to move Moore in Minnesota’s direction.”
In the Vikings’ offense, Moore will be the fourth or fifth option in the passing game. All of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson will be coming in ahead of him for targets. So, too, could running back Aaron Jones get more looks in the passing game.
But, to be sure, that doesn’t mean there won’t be touches for Mr. Moore. The 24-year-old playmaker ran a blistering 4.28 forty, a time that’s very fast. Jefferson and Addison can often win deep but their times come in a decent bit slower than Moore, sitting at 4.43 for the WR1 and 4.49 for the WR2. Now, there’s more to winning deep than just speed, but it’s indisputably a crucial ingredient.
Moore’s role, given his size at 5’7″ and 181 pounds, likely isn’t going to involve being someone who solely catches long bombs from J.J. McCarthy (though perhaps that gets sprinkled in). The real intrigue comes in his ability to pick up yards after the catch. Being able to take a 2-yard pass for 22 yards is likely what Coach O’Connell has in mind.
Consider, for instance, just a basic stat to help prove the point. Moore has 1,201 receiving yards in his career. A whopping 935 yards have come after the catch, meaning that roughly 75% of his yards have arrived after getting the ball into his hands and then letting him turn on the jets.
In his career, Rondale Moore has played in the slot for the majority of passing snaps. Look for Minnesota to keep allowing him to move into the slot with regularity but don’t be shocked if they ask him to move all over the place (including lining up in the backfield).
The cherry on top is that Moore appears capable of helping on special teams. Especially as a rookie, Moore offered his team some punt and kickoff returns. More specifically, Moore had 21 returns go for 171 yards on punt and then 13 returns go for 291 yards on kickoff back in 2021.
As long as his health cooperates, Rondale Moore is going to be a fun, fascinating addition to Minnesota’s already deep array of weapons. The Vikings were sure to get their elbows up to ensure he brought his talents over to the Twin Cities.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, 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 social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.