Getty Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Hunter Renfrow has remained a name that the Minnesota Vikings should consider to fortify their wide receiver room — however, at this stage of the offseason, they’re not looking outside their purview.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported on May 23 that while there is a need for a No. 3 wide receiver after the departure of K.J. Osborn, who signed with the New England Patriots in March, the Vikings are content with giving their internal candidates a chance to win the job.
“They stepped only modestly into the free agent market, signing journeyman Trent Sherfield to a deal that fully guaranteed him $1 million. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently suggested the Vikings sign free agent slot receiver Hunter Renfrow, but at the outset of OTAs, there are indications they want to gauge the progress of their internal depth,” Seifert wrote.
Renfrow, 28, was released by the Las Vegas Raiders in March just two years after signing a two-year, $32 million extension following his 2021 Pro Bowl campaign. He secured 103 receptions for 1,038 yards receiving and nine touchdowns that year but saw a decline in production partially due to injuries and quarterback and coaching changes.
He’s one of the top free agents available, but the Vikings appear unlikely to consider any serious contenders for the No. 3 wide receiver spot until they get a better look at their receivers in-house.
Vikings WR Brandon Powell Deemed Biggest Breakout Candidate
GettyVikings wide receiver Brandon Powell
One reason the Vikings have not considered a bigger investment at wide receiver is their optimism in veteran Brandon Powell.
Seifert predicted that Powell would prove to be the biggest surprise this season by winning the No. 3 wide receiver spot after a career year in 2023.
“During the O’Connell era, the Vikings’ base offense has been 11 personnel, which generally means three receivers,” Seifert wrote on Wednesday, May 22. “So unless O’Connell is going to dramatically change that approach in his third season, there is a significant need for a third player to complement Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in the receiving corps. Powell filled that role well last season when Jefferson missed time with a hamstring injury, and he has a strong chance to earn a more permanent role there in 2024.”
Powell stepped into a more active role after Justin Jefferson suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5. Powell secured 29 catches for 324 receiving yards and a touchdown last year, according to Pro Football Reference.
He’s the early frontrunner to start alongside Jordan Addison and Jefferson, but there is competition entering training camp.
Jalen Nailor a Dark Horse to Take Vikings WR 3 Job
GettyJalen Nailor during the Vikings’ 2023 season opener.
The talent has always been there for Jalen Nailor, but he hasn’t managed to see the field for two years since wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell “pounded the table” for him in 2022.
Nailor flashed his rookie year, catching 9-of-13 targets for 179 yards and a touchdown in the final two games of the season.
But last season, Nailor was barely a participant in training camp due to injury and played just one offensive snap in the first two games before suffering a hamstring injury.
He appeared in four more games and caught three passes for 29 yards — his entire production for the 2023 season.
This year offers a prime opportunity for Nailor to seize his role in the Vikings offense in a make-or-break year for the former fifth-round pick.
Trevor Squire is a sports journalist covering the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Trevor studied journalism at the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities, making stops at the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @trevordsquire. More about Trevor Squire
