Does Minnesota Need Help at Wide Receiver?
K. Joudry
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If the expected happens, Minnesota will feature their wide receiver group more prominently.
Kevin O’Connell, as I’m sure you know by now, is emerging from the Sean McVay school of coaching offense. That means Vikings fans can buckle up for a fair bit more 11 personnel: 1 tight end, 1 running back, and 3 receivers.
Justin Jefferson will be the #1 WR. K.J. Osborn will almost certainly be on the roster, likely as the team’s WR3. The wild card in all of this is Adam Thielen. The veteran can still get it done when healthy, but his health is a legit concern. Plus, the finances make things look at least somewhat bleak for Thielen’s future in Minnesota.
If the veteran Thielen gets cut or traded, then the Vikings do indeed need some help.
For whatever it’s worth, he knows that he’ll need to re-work his deal to stick around town: “There’s going to be some tough [roster] moves and decisions ahead, and I’ll probably be a part of those decisions, but I couldn’t be more excited about the direction of the team.”
One x-factor that hasn’t been discussed as much in relation to Thielen is the status of Kirk Cousins. If Minnesota figures out a way forward with their QB1, then perhaps it’s more important to keep Thielen in that wide receiver group. Cousins has a strong connection with the veteran receiver on and off the field. Keeping him in purple may therefore be more important.
Assuming Thielen does stay, the Vikings find themselves in a really strong position. The Jefferson-Thielen-Osborn trio is among the league’s best. Plus, Ihmir Smith-Marsette showed promise at the end of the season. What are the chances he could develop into a burner WR4 who complements the offense through his ability to challenge deep? Defenses ought to be nervous if Smith-Marsette takes that next step.
It wouldn’t be shocking to see the Vikings choose a receiver in the upcoming draft. What would be surprising is if they do so in the opening few rounds. The Vikings have a long, long history of drafting and developing receivers. There have been some misses, but recent years have featured Jefferson, Osborn, Stefon Diggs, Bisi Johnson, Jarius Wright, and others all exceeding expectations.
So, does Minnesota need to add more depth at wide receiver? From my perspective, it’s among the lowest priorities heading into the offseason. An injury or two can certainly change things, though, so bringing in another player or two may be prudent.
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