Vikings WR Is Suddenly Massive
The Organized Team Activities have kicked off at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, MN. Players prepare for a season that has the potential to be special for the entire organization, but some Vikings need big years for their careers.
Vikings WR Is Suddenly Massive
That includes wideout Jalen Nailor, who is in a contract year, and his production in 2025 will determine what his paycheck in next year’s free agency will look like.
Offseason buzz isn’t new for the 2022 sixth-rounder. The Michigan State product was viewed as a breakout star in both 2023 and 2024. Last year, he finally stayed healthy and helped the team win games, and he wants to build on that in his fourth campaign at the pro level.
The Man Is Huge
In his first three seasons, Nailor was a speedy and slim receiver. There’s nothing wrong with that in the NFL. Even Justin Jefferson is not particularly big among wideouts.
Nailor, who, in addition to his body, also changed his jersey number, is listed at 5’11” and 190 lbs.
Coming out of college, Nailor logged pre-draft measurements of 5’11” and 186 lbs. Seeing him in pictures and videos from Eagan, he looks much heavier entering his crucial season. Look for yourself.
Will Ragatz, SI.com, reported from OTAs this week: “Nailor looks like a player to keep an eye on this year. He’s in a contract year, he has a new number (83 is out, 1 is in), and he appears to have put on some muscle this offseason. He’ll be an important part of the Vikings’ offense as their No. 3 wide receiver, and he might be needed as the No. 2 for a few games if Jordan Addison ends up receiving a league suspension.”
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted last week that “Nailor morphed into a stouter receiver this offseason.”
And finally, we have Judd Zulgad of Skor North: “He’s also switched his body. He is bigger, stronger, he has definitely gained weight. Not fast, muscle. … When you first see him, you won’t recognize him.”
The Potential Effect
Nailor was entrenched as Minnesota’s WR3 last season, just behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. That duo is pretty much cemented, but the third spot had been vacant for a while. Nailor finally filled it, putting up over 400 yards and six touchdowns.
This offseason, however, the Vikings added some competition. In free agency, former college standout Rondale Moore was signed, and Tai Felton, a productive wideout from Maryland, was drafted in the third round.
Nailor wins with speed. His nickname is “Speedy,” and it’s that for a reason. The man can fly. Still, he is not the most physical player. More weight could change that, and the ability to play through contact could give him another dimension. More weight could also indicate more power and improved blocking, which would remove one excuse to take him off the field.
Contract Year
As previously mentioned, Nailor is entering a monster year. In 2026, teams will look at the available wideouts and put price tags on them. Another 400-yard season might make him a few million, but nobody is breaking the bank for a 27-year-old with 1,000 career receiving yards.
Now, let’s imagine he tabulates 700 or 800 yards this year, aided by a potential Addison suspension, and is an essential piece of Minnesota’s passing attack. Suddenly, someone might be willing to hand him a sizable contract worth $10 million a year and hope he can transform into a reliable WR2 on his new team.
In April, Kevin O’Connell said about a potential Addison absence, “I think we basically went through that last year with Jordan [missing games],” O’Connell noted. “We essentially, for two and a half games, didn’t have him, and we were able to beat the San Francisco 49ers and the Houston Texans with Jalen Nailor playing huge roles in those games. Jalen caught a touchdown in the second half of the opener against the Giants [without Addison].”
“I think Speedy, what we were always hoping for was to see what it looked like when he was able to stay healthy. He was able to do that, and I think he learned over the course of the season the different, unique ways that Justin gets defended has a direct impact on how he needs to prepare to play.”
Indeed, he was finally healthy after missing most of his 2023 season due to injury. The production followed.
O’Connell concluded: “Speedy’s going to have a great year. I think this is a massive, massive year for his career, but we want to make it competitive, whether it’s Rondale [Moore], Tim Jones coming in, to really fill a role and a purpose or potentially drafting one. We want to have really impactful players in that room.”
When Felton was acquired in the draft, folks already wanted to demote Nailor. But his respectable 2024 season and Felton still being a raw rookie should still give him the edge entering the season.
Nailor, 26, could be in line for a big year.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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