MN Vikings WR3 “Competition” is Fake News

The Minnesota Vikings opened training camp this week and that means we are inching closer to real football being played. Last year, the Vikings won 14 games, but that didn’t stop general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah from making significant changes this offseason.

J.J. McCarthy is now under center, protected by what appears to be the best offensive line this team has had in years, if not decades. The defensive front has also been reconstructed, and is now being touted as the best in football by some pundits.

Then, there is wide receiver, where Jalen Nailor has been trying to earn the job for the past two seasons, after K.J. Osborn held it down before him. So far, the results have been mediocre. And now, there is a new crop of pass catchers in camp, which has many surmising a drop in usage for Nailor.

Jalen Nailor is locked in as WR3 for Minnesota Vikings

Last year Jalen Nailor played 17 games (with seven starts) as the third wide receiver. He hauled in 28 passes for 414 yards and six touchdowns. With Jordan Addison staring down the barrel of what could be a three-game suspension, the Minnesota Vikings need more out of their third wideout in 2025.

But if you think newcomers like Rondale Moore, Tai Felton or Silas Bolden have the inside track to take Jalen Nailor’s job, think again.

SKOR North’s Phil Mackey, Judd Zulgad and Darren Wolfson have all been at training camp this week, keeping an eye on the early practice reps of these wide receivers. One thing standing out early is just how far ahead Nailor is than the rest of his WR3 “competition”.

“I don’t think it’s close. That being said, I’m uber excited about Tai Felton’s future. Right now, to me it’s not much of a battle. Jalen Nailor is clear-cut wide receiver three. I spoke with him also, post practice. It was brief. I was curious about his number change, 83 to 1, and just how big of year this is. Heck, he could have an impact on special teams. He’s got some return capability. Yes, there hasn’t been extension dialogue.

Darren Wolfson – Purple Daily

This is a big year for Nailor. As a sixth round pick, this is the final year of his rookie contract. Like Patrick Jones II did this offseason, it’s a perfect opportunity for Nailor to cash in on the open market. As Phil Mackey noted earlier in the Purple Daily segment, that would be a great thing for Minnesota if he can factor into the compensation pick equation.

Here’s some J.J. McCarthy to Jalen Nailor pic.twitter.com/q6iK9Y1Q9n

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) July 23, 2025

Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are both high caliber options for the Minnesota Vikings. The team knows it. J.J. McCarthy knows it. The opposition knows it. That’s why someone like Nailor is such an integral part of the offense. If he can establish himself as another reliable option, he’d pair nicely with T.J. Hockenson as additional reads.

There is room for Nailor to grow from both a pass catching and route running perspective. He showed a need to develop further at times last year, and the more he can erase that feeling the better off the roster will be.

What to make of the MN Vikings other wideouts

Rondale Moore is probably the closest competition Nailor will have for his WR3 duties early on this year. The 25-year-old was injured last year, but has the same experience in the NFL that Nailor does. He was signed as a free agent this offseason and brings 39 games (23 starts) of exposure under his belt. Moore has just three career receiving touchdowns, but worked as one of Kyler Murray’s consistent targets in Arizona.

Moore is still more than likely to work on special teams in the return game. Rookie wide receivers often take time to acclimate at the highest level. It’s unlikely that Maryland product Tai Felton hits the ground running right away. His future development is something to be excited about, as Wolfson notes, however.

Related: 3 Underrated MN Vikings to Watch at Training Camp

Ultimately the Minnesota Vikings would like to see Jalen Nailor take another step forward this season. It’s plausible that his role expands with a potential suspension coming for Jordan Addison.

There will be opportunity to produce behind him, but Kevin O’Connell needs Nailor to be a reliable and consistent option for his new signal caller.