The Minnesota Vikings could be staring down a massive depth problem at wide receiver. Rondale Moore suffered a knee injury early in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans, which has been confirmed to be season-ending. It's the second year in a row he'll miss the entire year after was forced to sit out 2024 with the Atlanta Falcons.
#Vikings WR Rondale Moore has been ruled OUT with a leg injury. He was carted off the field after being tackled on a punt return. pic.twitter.com/M2y4EFuekb
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 9, 2025
Minnesota's depth chart is starting to look like a Madden dynasty mode list of characters at wideout, with Justin Jefferson leading the way but then the talent gap getting very wide very quick. With WR2 Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games of the regular season and Moore gone with injury, quarterback J.J. McCarthy will have to look to guys like Jalen Nailor, Lucky Jackson and Tai Felton for relief when Jefferson inevitably double-teamed.
Vikings fans know the team isn't going to call up the Washington Commanders to trade for Terry McLaurin, but they may be able to poach a pass-catching reject from one of their NFC North rivals to plug the hole.
Packers misfit Mecole Hardman could solve Vikings' wide receiver problem
Mecole Hardman is best known for his stint as a boom-or-bust weapon for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. He had a brief stint as a New York Jet before being traded back to Kansas City and now it appears he's going to have an even briefer stint as a Green Bay Packer.
In the team's first preseason game against the Jets, Hardman gave a performance to forget. He dropped a pass, muffed a punt and fielded another within the five-yard line which caused the Green Bay coaching staff to put him on notice and bump him further down their depth chart.
Mecole Hardman muffs the punt...couldn't happen to a better guy. pic.twitter.com/au2IK21hKT
— Glenn Naughton (@JNRadio_Glenn) August 10, 2025
While on paper that may not seem like an attractive option for Minnesota, Hardman is still a three-time Super Bowl champion that has thrived as a depth piece before. He only caught 12 balls for 90 yards last year and hasn't scored a receiving touchdown since 2022 but his experience and speed could be enough of a threat to give Jefferson some relief, at least until Addison's suspension is up.
There's not going to be a perfect solution here and Minnesota could just lean on its rookies and depth chart to get them more reps and experience the old fashioned way. Whatever the team chooses, all eyes will be on those first three weeks to see if the Vikings will have to dig themselves out of an early hole.