Last week we took a look at some quarterbacks and running backs the Minnesota Vikings could pursue in free agency. Now it’s time to look outside at the wide receivers. Wide receiver is a position the Vikings don’t necessarily need to prioritize in the NFL’s free agency period.
They have an All-Pro-caliber number one receiver in Justin Jefferson, who is under contract for another year. Minnesota will likely attempt to move Heaven and Earth to get Jefferson under contract long-term, too.
On the other side of Jefferson, they have Jordan Addison, who proved during his rookie campaign last year that he’s more than capable of blossoming into a formidable receiver in his own right. The 1-2 punch of Jefferson and Addison can be a real force to be reckoned with in the league if the Vikings get their quarterback situation squared away.
Whether that means Kirk Cousins, a free agent, or taking someone in the NFL draft remains to be seen.
Further down the depth chart is where things start to get interesting. For the last four years they’ve had K.J. Osborn, who has been a solid option in the passing game and has shown glimpses of being able to provide more than he’s been asked to.
He’s almost an afterthought in the Vikings offense with the WRs above ahead of him, along with tight end T.J. Hockenson. Brandon Powell rounds out the position, and brings some solid play as a WR4.
Both Osborn and Powell are scheduled to hit the open market in free agency. Should the Vikings sign one — or both — or should they look to upgrade at the position with someone who’s available? Let’s take a look at six options the Vikings could look at at wide receiver.
K.J. Osborn
As we did with the quarterbacks, let’s start off with the in-house option: K.J. Osborn. Osborn has been with the Vikings since Minnesota drafted him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Miami.
Over those four seasons, Osborn has found his playing time increase in each season, from only seeing the field on special teams as a rookie to playing 78% of the snaps and getting 12 starts last season. Clearly the Vikings think highly of how the young receiver is developing.
However, despite seeing an increase in playing time each season in the NFL, Osborn has seen his production decline each of the past three seasons in the Viking offense.
His best season, 2021, Osborn saw 82 targets and caught 50 of them for 655 yards and 7 touchdowns. The next season Osborn saw his targets and receptions increase to 90 and 60 respectively, but his yardage dipped to 650 and he only had 5 touchdowns.
While 2023 was the best season for Osborn in terms of playing time and games started, it was also his least-used of the three seasons he’s been a factor in the offense.
Osborn’s targets dropped to just 75, with only 48 receptions for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns. The emergence of rookie Jordan Addison certainly played a role. So, is there a role in the Vikings offense for Osborn anymore?
I think so. Osborn’s decline was certainly impacted by Addison’s production, but it was also a function of the instability at quarterback. His two seasons with Kirk Cousins were fairly consistent.
Factor in that Osborn also plays a key role as a returner, and I wouldn’t be surprised if keeping him is a top priority for the Vikings in free agency. But if they can’t – or opt not to – what else is out there for them?
Tyler Boyd
If the Vikings were to let K.J. Osborn walk in free agency, they could – but not necessarily would – be in the market to find his replacement. Perhaps the best realistic candidate for that replacement would come from the Cincinnati Bengals.
Though somewhat of an afterthought as the third wide receiver on one of the most talented teams in the league, Tyler Boyd has still managed to have some nice production throughout his career.
During his eight-year career with the Bengals, Boyd has topped the 1,000 yard mark twice and has been in for at least 75% of the offensive snaps every year since 2018, except for 2022.
He’s been a nice safety valve for quarterback Joe Burrow when fellow wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are covered, and he’s worked out a nice niche in the Bengals offense.
That is a niche he could step right into with the Vikings offense with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison already in the fold. Boyd would likely want to increase his production with a new team, but coming into his 9th season and turning 30 during the season, that may be a far-fetched notion. Landing as the third option in the Vikings offense could be a happy medium for him between those two, however.
Boyd may command more than the Vikings are looking to spend on the position in free agency, but if they’re willing to shell out the money, there’s not many better options on the market for that third wide receiver spot.
D.J. Chark
If Tyler Boyd is the ‘cream of the crop’ of the WR3s on the free agent market this season, Panthers wide receiver D.J. Chark isn’t far behind him. Much like Boyd, Chark has carved out a nice niche in the NFL as a receiver. Unlike Boyd, Chark has bounced around the league a bit after being the number 2 option in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense his first four years in the league.
After leaving Jacksonville, Chark spent a season in Detroit working with Jared Goff and having a somewhat pedestrian season. Then it was on to Carolina last season, where Chark was a clear second option to the former Vikings receiver Adam Thielen. While Thielen topped the 1,000 yard mark, Chark struggled to hit 500 yards in an offense that struggled behind a rookie quarterback.
Chark will be only 28 years old during the 2024 season, which works in his favor on the free agent market, but he has only one season over 1,000 yards and isn’t likely to land anywhere as a primary, or even secondary, option. Which could make him the perfect target for the Vikings to come in and be a complement to the Jefferson-Addison duo.
Laviska Shenault
Between Jefferson, Addison, Osborn, and Brandon Powell, the Minnesota Vikings have a pretty solid and well-rounded wide receiver corps. Both Osborn and Powell are free agents, however, and that could threaten to throw off the balance Minnesota currently has at the position.
That said, neither Osborn nor Powell plays an integral role in the offense, and Minnesota may opt to keep one, both, or neither of them and still not see the position as one of need.
If the Vikings don’t see the position as a pressing need, but would still like to replace either Osborn or Powell simply with a body that could provide something a little different to the group, they could turn to former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Laviska Shenault.
Shenault came into the league with a lot of promise as a multi-faceted weapon in the receiver room, but has largely failed to live up to those expectations in his four seasons in the NFL. His two best years were his first two in Jacksonville, where Shenault was a primary starter and saw at least 75 targets in each season, reaching or exceeding 50 receptions and 600 yards each year.
His time in Carolina, however, was far different. Shenault barely saw the field, only getting four starts in two seasons and failing to amass 300 yards total during his stint with the Panthers. Now Shenault will almost certainly hit the free agent market, and will likely be signed to a modest deal.
The Vikings could jump at the chance to take a swing on a versatile player on a cheap deal. When healthy, Shenault has a skill-set that lends itself to being able to be used as a wide receiver, running back, and in the return game – which would come in handy if the Vikings are unable to bring Osborn back. The “when healthy” caveat could be the thing that scares them, and many other teams, away though.
Braxton Berrios
If the Vikings lose Osborn in free agency and are intent on replacing his skillset on the cheap, former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Braxton Berrios could be the perfect option for them. Berrios was seldom used in the Dolphins high-octane offense, but he has the prototypical slot-receiver skillset – similar to what the Vikings ask of Osborn.
Berrios is also probably the most accomplished return man of the options not named Osborn on this list. He’s also going to come in significantly cheaper than every option on this list other than possibly Shenault. Berrios isn’t likely to give the Vikings the contributions in the receiving game that Osborn did, but as Jordan Addison continues to develop, that may not be a concern.
What is a concern is a lack of weapons to start the season. Minnesota will still have Jefferson and Addison, but if they lose Osborn, combined with tight end T.J. Hockenson unlikely to be ready by the start of the year, things could get complicated for the typically prolific Vikings’ offense. Berrios wouldn’t help much in that scenario, so he should probably be the last resort.
Mike Evans
So far we’ve looked at a bunch of options for the Vikings that center around the WR3 spot and finding someone to complement Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. But what if the Vikings decide they want to take a different approach to the position?
What if they decide they’re not far away from a potential Super Bowl run and want to take a swing on a bonafide star at the position to pair with Jefferson?This scenario might stunt the growth that we’ve seen from Addison after his stellar rookie season, but it’s not impossible that this could be the thought process.
There are a few big-name players who could be available in this scenario, and perhaps the most intriguing name of them all is Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans.
Evans is arguably already a Hall of Fame caliber receiver, having topped 1,000 yards in every season he’s been in the league, with five pro bowls and a Super Bowl title to his name to bolster his resume. All of that, and despite being in the league since 2014, Evans is still just 30 years of age.
Time may have caught up to Evans in some respects, but he’s still just as much of a threat as he’s ever been. This past year, with Baker Mayfield as his quarterback, Evans had somewhat of a resurgence, topping 1200 yards and leading the league with 13 touchdowns – some of the best numbers of his illustrious career.
Evans may not hit the open market, as the Bucs could opt to hit him with the franchise tag. But if they’re willing to let him see free agency, he instantly becomes one of – if not the – best options out there. Minnesota could see an opportunity they can’t pass up. I don’t think it’s likely, but I wouldn’t completely dismiss the possibility.
