Vikings Have an Under-the-Radar Trade Candidate
The Minnesota Vikings could very well be sellers at next week’s trade deadline, considering the club is 3-4 and has yet to demonstrate a good reason why a playoff spot would be realistic. Kevin O’Connell’s operation is a 9.5-point underdog for this weekend’s game in Detroit.
Vikings Have an Under-the-Radar Trade Candidate
Guys like Javon Hargrave or T.J. Hockenson have drawn some trade buzz, but another guy has been flying under the radar, and the front office could and should consider moving him: WR Jalen Nailor.
The Vikings have Jordan Addison and superstar Justin Jefferson to feed, and with a passing game that’s not explosive whatsoever, the targets just aren’t there for Nailor, who is in the final months of his rookie deal. Despite the limited production, he has been one of the few employees who have met expectations this year.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert recently nominated him as a trade candidate. He wrote this week, “Wide receiver Jalen Nailor. He is a key part of the Vikings’ three-receiver sets and has played the fourth-highest percentage of snaps (74.1%) of any offensive player. But in the Vikings’ efforts to feed Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, Nailor has been targeted only 26 times this season. (He has caught 13 of those throws for 162 yards and a touchdown.)”
It’s noteworthy that Nailor was clearly the more dynamic pass-catcher than Adam Thielen through the first three games of the season, but he was demoted to WR3 once Jordan Addison returned to action. He has 13 receptions this season for 162 yards and a touchdown, mainly because of quarterback play. The speedster has gotten open fairly frequently this year, but the targets just haven’t been there.
More from Seifert, “The Vikings aren’t looking to trade Nailor, but they have depth behind him in veteran Adam Thielen. Nailor is also a pending free agent. With Jefferson set to count for $39 million against the 2026 cap, and Addison eligible for an extension this upcoming offseason, Nailor could move on next year anyway.”
Nailor was a 2022 sixth-rounder, perhaps the best player from that infamous draft class. After showing promise in his debut season, he was plagued by injuries in 2023. Last year, he finally stayed healthy and grew into the WR3 role that K.J. Osborn had vacated, collecting over 400 yards and six touchdowns in Sam Darnold’s explosive passing attack.
In training camp, Nailor earned some praise, and his route running has indeed looked improved this year. The wideout could be worth some draft capital for a playoff contender with a void at WR2 or WR3, especially one that could use a deep threat.
Nailor is scheduled to depart in March, and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might not find the money in his budget to pay the man in today’s market, when every capable receiver is getting decent deals in free agency. It could be time to move him to recoup some draft capital before losing him for nothing.
He’s earned more opportunities, and the Vikings currently can’t provide those. Nailor will turn 27 next March, and it remains to be seen if he’s still on the team once the trade deadline passes.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.