The Minnesota Vikings faced a handful of tough personnel decisions this offseason, but one is likely to hit them harder than the rest.
Minnesota has already acknowledged its need for a third wide receiver beside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison via its public interest in Jauan Jennings. However, Jennings’ contract demands are likely going to out-price the Vikings, which means the team will have to go in a different direction.
The Vikings would not have needed a new path had stayed on the previous one they tread with Jalen Nailor over the past four seasons. The former sixth-round pick had interest in remaining in Minnesota, but the team chose not to match the deal he got from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report recently projected a breakout campaign for Nailor in 2026, which might leave Minnesota with serious regret over letting a solid locker room presence and quality No. 3 WR option depart for a deal that the Vikings, in retrospect, probably could have afforded.
“Nailor is poised to break out in a big way this coming season,” Kay wrote. “Vegas scooped Nailor off the open market with a three-year, $35 million contract that could soon be remembered as one of the best value signings of the year.”
Jalen Nailor Great Match for Raiders Head Coach Klint Kubiak
GettyFormer Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is one of the best offensive schemers in the NFL. Nailor left O’Connell for another former offensive coordinator turned head coach in the Raiders’ Klint Kubiak who, like O’Connell, guided an NFC West team to a Super Bowl as OC one year before getting his first shot to run a team.
Of all the offensive minds in the game, Kubiak’s is one of the few on the level with O’Connell, which only increases Nailor’s chances of having a career campaign as he assumes a bigger role in Las Vegas.
“Nailor is a speedster with great hands who can turn any reception into a big gain,” Kay continued. “He’s averaging 15.4 yards per reception for his career and had just one drop on 53 targets last season.”
“Given Nailor’s athleticism and his ability to line up both outside and in the slot, new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak won’t have much trouble scheming up ways to get Nailor the ball in space,” Kay contended. “Expect him to quickly emerge as one of [Fernando] Mendoza’s favorite targets.”
Jalen Nailor Would Have Provided Vikings With Longterm Alternative to Jordan Addison
GettyMinnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison.
Nailor said Kubiak was a big factor in his decision to depart Minnesota.
“Just the job that [Kubiak] has done throughout his whole career, and the guys that he has on his staff, it’s a very renowned coaching staff,” Nailor said in March. “That played a major role.”
Nailor nabbed 57 receptions for 858 yards and 10 TDs in 34 games played (15) starts across his final two campaigns in Minnesota. He could have been a longterm option as the No. 2 target behind Jefferson had the Vikings decided to part with Addison, either immediately or in the relatively near future.
However, Minnesota picked up Addison’s $18 million option for 2027 and sent Nailor on his way to the AFC, though not before he picked up a few things from his former running mates in Minneapolis.
“Just the way these guys work day in and day out, the route tricks they have and the sauce they put into their routes, finishing after the catch — everything,” Nailor said of what he learned from playing with Jefferson and Addison. “Those are two great guys.”
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