The jury’s still out on quarterback, but even if Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy are the real deal, it won’t be easy replacing Kirk Cousins’ production. Otherwise, the Minnesota Vikings have largely improved their offense.
Yet, one potentially glaring weakness is the lack of a clear frontrunner to win the No. 3 wide receiver job after K.J. Osborn’s departure. Sure, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has collected plenty of bodies; the Vikings have 11 receivers on the roster, but who’s the in-house leader?
Right now, it has to be Brandon Powell, Kevin O’Connell’s carryover from his Los Angeles Rams tenure. Powell did perform admirably when called upon last season, but he’s also the team’s leading candidate to handle punt return, and possibly kick returning duties too.
Can the 5-foot-8, 181-pound gadget player really hold up in the slot for a full season, too? He definitely deserves a chance to find out.
Another possibility is former Buffalo receiver Trent Sherfield, who brings a lot more size to the lineup as a 6-foot-1, 205-receiver who can also take on defenders as a run blocker. But aside from a 417-yard season with Miami in 2022, he’s never been a consistent threat offensively.
Aside from Powell and Sherfield, the Vikings have another sleeping giant waiting to emerge, and the coaching staff is all in on his development.
Jalen Nailor can snag Minnesota Vikings’ WR3 job
If the 28-year-old Brandon Powell is keyed into returning duties, and Trent Sherfield is nothing more than a fringe candidate to earn a roster spot, who’s left? None other than 2022 sixth-round pick Jalen Nailor.
Aptly earning the nickname “Speedy,” Nailor has already shown coaches what he’s capable of, not just during practice but also in live action during the regular season. Despite being the 191st overall pick, Nailor found a way to get into the lineup as a rookie, where he caught 9-of-13 targets for 179 yards and a touchdown for a robust 19.9 yards per reception.
The biggest issue of the 25-year-old’s career has been an inability to stay healthy. Even during mandatory minicamp, Nailor wasn’t available due to the flu. While he can’t control his health or durability, Nailor does have a chance to control his future with the Vikings.
As Kevin Seifert recently noted in his column on ESPN, Nailor was the first name Kevin O’Connell mentioned when asked about the current competition for the No. 3 WR job back in the spring.
“That third receiver spot is going to be very competitive. There’s a bunch of guys that had really good springs. I mean Jalen Nailor had another really good offseason program. When he’s healthy and on the field, he shows up every single opportunity he’s gotten. That’s our challenge to him is sometimes things are out of your control and then we understand that, but for him to take that next step, we’re gonna need to see him out there a lot as part of that group.”
Kevin O’Connell on Jalen Nailor competing for WR3 job
As mentioned, the third WR job is completely up for grabs. Powell’s naturally in first place right now, but coaches are confident in Nailor’s abilities, as long as he can avoid injuries.
While every year of his career is important, Nailor has to know this upcoming season might be the biggest opportunity he’ll ever receive. There’s no clear frontrunner blocking his playing time anymore; it’s all just about being available each and every day.
Barring injury, it’s entirely up to Nailor whether he speeds off with the job, but it sounds like Vikings coaches are eager to see what he’s capable of again. Can Nailor win the job?
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