The Minnesota Vikings underwent some major changes on the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Gone are two stalwarts in wide receiver Adam Thielen and running back Dalvin Cook. Thielen signed a deal with the Carolina Panthers while Cook is still waiting to find his next team.
Replacing two players of that caliber will have its challenges, but the Vikings do have some pieces in place to pick up the slack. Alexander Mattison, who re-signed with the team earlier in free agency, will take over the backfield from Cook and has thrived when replacing him previously.
Thielen, however, doesn’t have a direct replacement on the roster. The Vikings did use their first-round pick on wide receiver Jordan Addison out of USC and he could be in the starting lineup right away. K.J. Osborn and tight end T.J. Hockenson could see larger roles as well.
However, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Minnesota make another move at the wide receiver position to bolster their depth. Lacking a true replacement in the slot for Thielen, the team could make a call to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Las Vegas has a slot receiver without a set role in their offense in 2023 in Hunter Renfrow. With the signing of Jakobi Meyers this offseason, Renfrow’s time with the franchise has felt like it would be coming to an end.
General manager Dave Ziegler likely jumped the gun, signing Renfrow to a two-year, $32.3 million extension last year following his Pro Bowl 2021 campaign. Unfortunately, he followed the signing of that extension up with the least productive season of his career.
Looking to get out of that deal, the Vikings could be a natural trade partner. What could a deal between the teams look like? A suggested trade offer could be Minnesota offering a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in exchange for Renfrow.
The Raiders’ motivation in getting a deal done could be monetary. Trading Renfrow would result in the team saving $6.9 million, cap space that can be used to shore up other spots on the roster. Getting a fifth-round pick in return is a nice sweetener.
For the Vikings, they are getting a steady, sure-handed slot receiver that can replace Thielen. A bounceback could be in store if he can stay healthy and for the cost of a fifth-round pick, it is a worthwhile risk for the team to take.
