It’s a confusing decision for Minnesota.
The Minnesota Vikings wasted no time adding Kyler Murray this offseason to jump-start their passing offense, which has weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson. The offense has one of the top playcallers in the NFL with Kevin O'Connell. Somehow, Minnesota won eight games in 2025 with an endless parade of quarterbacks who started with varying degrees of success and failure.
Jalen Nailor departed for Las Vegas in free agency. It was widely assumed as a team need that Minnesota would select a wide receiver in the draft this past weekend.
Spoiler alert: they did not.
Now, there are free agent receivers available like Tyreek Hill, Deebo Samuel, and Jauan Jennings. However, Minnesota could have selected a young, cheap receiver to pair with a veteran post-draft.
I fully expect Minnesota to add a receiver before training camp. At least, they better because the current depth chart isn't inspiring behind the two top options. One player who is taking a visit to Minnesota this week is Jennings.
Tai Felton, Jeshaun Jones, Dontae Fleming, and Joaquin Davis join Jefferson and Addison as the six receivers on the gameday roster if the season started today. Myles Price, Dillon Bell, Shaleak Notts, Luke Wysong, and Marcus Sanders, Jr got invites to camp but face an uphill battle to crack the 53-man roster.
Will Ragatz of Sports Illustrated has similar concerns.
"It was very interesting to see the Vikings not use any of their nine picks on a wide receiver after losing Jalen Nailor in free agency. Their only additions were four UDFAs, headlined by Bell. It's a room that absolutely still needs more work, and that'll have to come in free agency. By trading Jonathan Greenard, the Vikings now have some cap space to potentially add a big-name WR3."
Overall, the NFL world was a bit confused about the Vikings draft selections given their immediate team needs and win-now roster. Drafting players who need a year or two of development while your veterans are on a different timeline has the chance to become messy. It's borderline arrogant to think you can juggle both timelines, especially with how this regime needs a playoff berth following such a frustrating and disappointing 2025 season.
Will the Vikings be boring? Never. Is their plan clear? It hasn't been since the firing of Kwesi in Mobile. 2026 will be a fun and interesting season with the stakes and the new addition of Murray.
But did the Vikings help out their guys with this draft?