A season ago the Minnesota Vikings traded for former first-round receiver Jalen Reagor, hoping he’d run away with their lead punt return duties. While Reagor did claim the job as the team’s top punt returner, he’s also buried on the wide receiver depth chart, and now other teams are gauging the Vikings’ interest in a trade.
All teams must trim their rosters from 90 down to 53 players by today’s 4 p.m. ET deadline and the current line of thought has Reagor on the roster bubble. He’s played well in preseason, hauling in eight catches for 93 yards while competing for one of the final spots on the Vikings’ receiver depth chart. He’s also vying to retain his role as the punt returner on special teams.
But other teams may have an even bigger role in mind for the 24-year-old speedster. In Minnesota, Reagor is stuck behind Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn, and Jordan Addison. He won’t be overtaking any of these players on the receiver depth chart. This means he’s either looking at a WR4 role while only operating as a punt returner instead.
However, depending on the offers received, the Vikings may prefer giving Reagor a better chance at earning pass-catching opportunities elsewhere. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded for Reagor a season ago, swapping a seventh-round selection plus a conditional fourth-round pick for the 21st selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Reagor played in all 17 games with the Vikings last season, catching eight passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. He also returned 26 punts for 167 yards, for an average of 6.4 yards per return. The Vikings also have Brandon Powell competing for punt return duties, and a spot on the receiver depth chart alongside Reagor.
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