If the Minnesota Vikings can’t get their hands on Ahmad Gardner, Derek Stingley Jr. or Kyle Hamilton, NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks has them staying at No. 12 and adding a surefire home run threat to an already stacked receiving corps.
In a first-round stunner, he has the Vikings committing to putting their offense over the top by selecting star wideout Jameson Williams out of the University of Alabama.
This is a dream pick for fans and a nightmare scenario for opponents when thinking about the damage Williams could do in an offense that already has Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn.
Even if the Vikings struggle to find value at the cornerback position later in the draft, they’d instantly have the pieces in play to be considered one of the top-five offensive teams in the league.
There’s a real possibility of them even being the best with an offensive-minded head coach like Kevin O’Connell overseeing things.
In @BuckyBrooks' final mock draft of 2022, the Vikings add Jameson Williams to build up the receiver corps and prepare for the futurehttps://t.co/mxOMCAVzS1 pic.twitter.com/N2MrHPONma
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) April 26, 2022
At some point, the Vikings are going to have to start thinking about life without Thielen. The veteran receiver turns 32 years old this year, and he’s slated to count nearly $20 million against the salary cap in 2023.
There’s also the question of cost when it comes to Jefferson’s contract, which could potentially reset the market.
A player like Williams makes the Vikings unbelievably scary in the short-term, while also ensuring them a long-term safety net.
