Justin Jefferson, KJ Osborn and Jordan Addison are locks as the top three wide receivers – barring injury – on the Minnesota Vikings roster, but how many receivers will they keep and who will join the aforementioned trio?
Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller believes head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will have a difficult decision that could wind up yielding six receivers on the roster when the season begins Sept. 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I think the hardest decision is Jalen Nailor, Trishton Jackson and then Jalen Reagor and Brandon Powell,” said Coller on Purple Insider Thursday. Coller then wondered aloud if Nailor, who has been out with an undisclosed injury, could be cut, clear waivers and then be placed on the practice squad, or perhaps placed on injured reserve to delay any decision about the 2022 sixth-round pick out of Michigan State.
“Right now, I would have Jackson on the team and I would have Reagor as well, and probably Nailor and keep six wide receivers. That could be the answer,” said Coller.
🗣️ Coach KOC's words are still ringing in Trishton Jackson's ears 👏 pic.twitter.com/2SfzHetcuP
— Minnesota Vikings UK (@UKVikings) August 18, 2023
In that scenario, the top six wide receivers on the team would be Jefferson, Osborn, Addison, Jackson, Reagor and Nailor. Did anyone have Trishton Jackson, who went undrafted in 2020, projected as the No. 4 wideout before training camp began?
If those six do make the roster, it would mean Brandon Powell and N’Keal Harry, along with Thayer Thomas, Blake Proehl, Jacob Copeland, Lucky Jackson and Garett Maag, would be cut.
I’ve always just liked Trishton Jackson. He just looks like a player to me. Two TD catches in the red zone practices today, one a jaw-dropper
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) August 17, 2023
Trishton Jackson catches a touchdown in the two-minute drill to close out a really good practice for him. He makes multiple plays literally every day.
— Dane Mizutani (@DaneMizutani) August 17, 2023
