The Minnesota Vikings took a stand with Jalen Nailor after the franchise drafted Tai Felton in the third round of the NFL Draft and then signed Silas Bolden as an undrafted free agent. In two swift moves, the Vikings eliminated any hope for Nailor as OTAs begin.
While those moves don’t exactly cut Nailor all the way out of the picture, it’s a grim look for Nailor or is now on the outside looking in with the Vikings. For now, he’s probably safe, given Jordan Addison, who was the anticipated No. 2 receiver, has some legal issues surrounding a DUI.
If Addison does miss time to start the 2025 season, it could be the only savior for Nailor. If either of the rookies the Vikings have seemingly turned to make a massive impact in OTAs, training camp and the preseason, Nailor could very well end up traded or cut.
Who should inquire about Jalen Nailor as the Minnesota Vikings already turned to his replacements in the NFL Draft?
If I’m the Cleveland Browns, I’m not wasting any time calling about Nailor and seeing what it would take to get him on the team. They have a massive need for a wide receiver not named Jerry Jeudy. They currently have false belief in the rest of the receiver room.
While Nailor may be on the outs in Minnesota, his breakout 2024 season proved he could be a great No. 2 option. He’s a speed threat that is good at catching the ball, with just five drops in his career with 61 targets.
Minnesota knows something about him if they aren’t willing to keep him around as a No. 3 option or they prefer to run two-receiver sets and default to Justin Jefferson in the slot in three-receiver sets.
According to Viking Age, Kevin O’Connell put hefty expectations on Nailor this season, proclaiming this is a massive year for him. Well it seems he may never get that shot. If he doesn’t, it shouldn’t take long for him to land with a new team.
The New York Giants could use another receiver, the Dallas Cowboys need another option not named CeeDee Lamb and even the New England Patriots might be interested in bringing another receiver.
There’s a lot of options for Minnesota if they ultimately decide to part ways with Nailor. It seems with the latest additions to the receiver room, Nailor might just be the odd one out.