The Minnesota Vikings are heading into training camp in unfamiliar territory at wide receiver. The Vikings have their top two targets set for the foreseeable future after extending Justin Jefferson’s contract earlier in June. Jefferson and Jordan Addison will be reliable help for rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s development.
But the Vikings lost a vital part of the offense in free agency. As Alec Lewis with The Athletic points out, the Vikings will miss their former WR3, K.J. Osborn, who signed with the New England Patriots. The Vikings haven’t found Osborn’s replacement to open up space for Jefferson and Addison.
The Minnesota Vikings need a WR3
Lewis thinks the Vikings could trade for a wide receiver before training camp. Lewis thinks the Vikings’ two best trade targets would be Robert Woods or Noah Brown of the Houston Texans:
Woods and Brown would be more doable than [Amari] Cooper and [Chis] Godwin from a cost perspective. They play for a Houston Texans team that boasts Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, John Metchie III and Ben Skowronek. Houston has an embarrassment of riches at the position. With free agency looming for Woods and Brown, and each player wanting more of the ball, why not move one of them for a late-round draft pick in 2026?
These two players also align with what the Vikings want at the No. 3 receiver spot. Both are capable at blocking in the run game, which was one of Osborn’s major responsibilities. O’Connell also coached Woods in Los Angeles in 2021.
Another facet to a potential move like this? The Vikings have the cap space to absorb both players’ contracts. Woods has about a $9.7 million cap hit for 2024, according to Over The Cap, while Brown’s is about $3.5 million. The Vikings have about $26 million to spend and also could renegotiate contracts with either player. Making this type of move would also solidify Powell’s standing as the team’s punt returner (and potentially kick returner).
Trade proposal
Vikings receive
- Robert Woods
Texans Receive
- 2026 fifth-round pick
The Vikings have limited picks to trade
The Vikings only have two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. One is a first-round pick, and the other is a fifth-round pick. One wouldn’t assume the Vikings would trade a pick from that class, and would look to trade a pick from 2026 or beyond.
The Vikings have a conditional pick already spoken for by the Los Angeles Rams in the sixth and seventh rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. For the Vikings to pull off a late-round trade for Woods, the fifth-round pick would have to be on the table.
The Vikings would snap up a veteran receiver in Woods, who could help Sam Darnold compete this season. Woods has 663 receptions for 8,030 yards and 38 touchdowns in his NFL career. He’d be an upgrade over Osborn.
The Texans would get valuable draft capital in exchange for a player they don’t need as much. They could use the pick to help extend the Texans’ Super Bowl window with C.J. Stroud. Stroud might be heading for a pay raise in the 2026 offseason.
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