The Minnesota Vikings have lost a lot of players in the first weeks of free agency. Most noticeably, the team released veterans like Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen. The Vikings have done a good job addressing some holes in free agency, however, the one spot they still need to address is the wide receiver position. Wide receiver is one of the most important positions in football. Of course, the Vikings are set at the primary wide receiver position with the reigning Offensive Player of the Year in Justin Jefferson. After Jefferson, the roster seems to be in limbo at the wide receiver two spot. Adam Thielen has held that spot ever since Jefferson entered the league in 2020. Now that Thielen is with the Carolina Panthers, the Vikings have a big decision to make at the wide receiver two spot.
The Options
The Minnesota Vikings’ cap space situation limits the number of opportunities available to the team. The wide receiver free agency market is not nearly as ripe as it was last year. Jakobi Meyers, Allen Lazard, and Juju Smith-Schuster have signed the biggest deals in terms of AAV this off-season. The biggest names left in free agency include DJ Chark, Nelson Agholor, and Odell Beckham Jr. While I would be in favor of signing DJ Chark, the Vikings would likely have to overpay to sign a free agent talented enough to take the wide receiver two spot. Overpaying a free agent is something the Vikings, quite literally, cannot afford to do. OBJ would be an exciting piece to add to the roster, however, gambling on a 30-year-old receiver who has not played in over a year is a risk Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should not be willing to take. Let a team like the Jets overpay for Beckham.
Mock drafts are flooding the sports news pages as the draft slowly approaches. With the 23rd pick in the draft, experts tend to have the Vikings selecting a cornerback. Which would be the correct move if you ask me, especially if Devon Witherspoon or Joey Porter Jr. is available? However, there has also been a lot of buzz around the Vikings possibly selecting a wide receiver in the first round. While adding a top rookie receiver alongside Jefferson may be beneficial, there are more pressing needs that the team needs to address. If the top three corners in Gonzalez, Porter, and Witherspoon are off the board when the Vikings are on the clock, I would be okay with a wide receiver, however, I would instead trade down and grab a second-tier cornerback.
The wide receiver that should replace Thielen in the wide receiver two role next season is already on the roster.
K.J. Osborn
Selected in the same draft as Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn has not had the opportunity to break out in the Vikings’ offense. He has been hidden on the depth chart behind Thielen and Jefferson, while Hockenson has also taken a lot of targets from Osborn. Over the past two seasons, Osborn has accumulated 1,305 yards on 110 catches. Meanwhile, Thielen has put up 1,442 yards on 137 catches in the same time frame. While Thielen has struggled to remain productive over the past couple of years, Osborn has been about as effective in the wide receiver three spot. Osborn is a cheaper, younger, and faster second wide receiver who has the potential to grow into a Terry Mclaurin or Tee Higgins-type receiver. In a Kevin O’Connell offense with Jefferson and Hockenson drawing the attention of most of the defense, K.J. Osborn could thrive for the Vikings as Kirk Cousins’ third option.
This Vikings team has a lot to be concerned about going into the 2023 season, however, with an option like K.J. Osborn at the wide receiver two position, the worry should be allocated elsewhere. In all likelihood, the Vikings are staring down the barrel of a rebuilding year in 2023 and there is little risk in giving Osborn the keys to the spot across from Jefferson. Osborn has a plethora of potential at 25 and is cheaper than any free agent that could take his spot. Though pairing Jefferson with a rookie receiver would be fun, the first-round pick should go toward rebuilding the secondary. Osborn can be the dependable option that the Vikings need after losing Thielen. Who knows, the team could have another star on their hands.
