The Minnesota Vikings are far from ditching Justin Jefferson via trade despite the annual offseason speculation. But beyond the star wide receiver, there are some serious questions in his position room.
Jordan Addison is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is eligible to have his fifth-year option exercised. Addison’s performance on the field has kept him in the team’s good graces despite off-field issues, but whether the Vikings are ready to invest in Addison long-term remains to be seen.
That shifts the focus to Jalen Nailor, who is set to reach free agency in March.
A 2022 sixth-round pick, Nailor has filled the No. 2 receiver role throughout his career when Jefferson or Addison were absent. He’s tallied 1,066 career receiving yards and has scored 10 touchdowns in the past two seasons.
The Star Tribune’s Emily Leikert said, “there is a belief” Nailor will have a market in free agency. While Nailor said he wouldn’t mind returning to Minnesota, he ultimately left non-committal about his future.
Colleague Ben Goessling took that as a sign he is going to force the Vikings’ hand to bid for him in free agency.
“Yeah, there’s a chance to get a payday there for a guy that was a sixth-round pick,” Goessling said on the “Access Vikings” podcast. “The fact that, if he’s saying, ‘Yeah, we’re going to see how it plays out,’ it’s a nice way of saying, ‘Yeah, I expect to be on the market, and I’m gonna get paid if I can,’ I mean, you know, this is your shot to do that. So, I don’t think that’s an unreasonable approach to this at all.”
Vikings’ Investments at WR May Keep Jalen Nailor Out
This season, Nailor stepped up in a big way during a down year for the offense as a whole.
He tallied a career-high 444 yards receiving and was a reliable option for J.J. McCarthy and the rest of the quarterback room, dropping just one of 53 targets all season.
However, the Vikings prepared to part ways with Nailor as early as April 2025, when they drafted Tai Felton in the third round.
Felton spent most of his rookie year on special teams but is developing in one of the best wide receiver rooms in the NFL, helmed by coach Keenan McCardell.
Felton is expected to take on a larger role next season, which would make the loss of Nailor easier to stomach.
However, if Nailor’s market is not as competitive as anticipated, it would not be frivolous to sign him to a two-year deal that would align with the remainder of McCarthy’s contract.
Spotrac projected Nailor to garner a contract worth $4.7 million a year in free agency. That’s on par with the rate K.J. Osborn took when he hit free agency in 2024.
Vikings’ Jordan Addison Decision is a No-Brainer
GettyVikings receiver Jordan Addison
While the question of whether to extend Addison is a healthy conversation, the Vikings can address in the 2026 offseason.
For now, the decision to exercise Addison’s fifth-year option is a no-brainer. While his fifth-year option ($17.5 million guaranteed) costs more than the entirety of his four-year rookie deal ($13.4 million), Addison’s value as one of the league’s top No. 2 wide receivers is immense.
When Addison does enter extension talks, he will be vying for a contract similar to Jalen Waddle or Tee Higgins, both worth north of $28 million a season.
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