Getty The Vikings are considering the "big picture" and Justin Jefferson's long-term health after he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Chiefs.
Minnesota Vikings fans may be unfamiliar with recently acquired wideout Jalen Reagor, but the third-year wide receiver will be met by a raucous Philadelphia Eagles crowd whenever he may touch the turf at Lincoln Financial Field.
The former Eagles first-rounder, selected one pick before Minnesota selected Justin Jefferson, was traded to the Vikings in exchange for a pair of late-round draft picks.
It was the Eagles seemingly picking up the scrapes of their first-round investment in Reagor, which has been held with much scrutiny by Philadelphia fans who clamor over the idea they could have had Jefferson instead.
Reagor has unfairly been compared to Jefferson over his career — and now the two receivers are ironically on the same team.
Jefferson addressed Reagor’s fall from grace in Philadelphia ahead of a pivotal primetime matchup on Monday Night Football where the winner between the Eagles (1-0) and Vikings (1-0) will be just one of three 2-0 teams in the NFC.
Justin Jefferson Says He ‘Hated’ How Jalen Reagor Was Treated
In a September 19 ESPN article, Vikings beat reporter Kevin Seifert revisited the 2020 NFL Draft Day decision that left the Eagles covering their tracks and allowed Minnesota to make away with a franchise star.
Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman was under fire for his selection of Reagor that reconfirmed a history of whiffing on wide receivers in the draft.
“I’m not going to sit here and lie,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said this month during an appearance on 94 WIP, per ESPN. “We’d love to have that moment back.”
Roseman had a roster that had won a 2017 Super Bowl at the Vikings’ expense, only to hit rock bottom in 2020 with a 4-11-1 record — and Reagor was a sour spot for the fan base after he produced just 396 receiving yards a touchdown his rookie year.
Reagor battled back from a shoulder tear and a thumb injury but couldn’t put together a more productive second season, leading to vicious critiques from both media members and the fan base.
Jefferson couldn’t avoid the comparisons involving Reagor with his social media often tagged on those critical posts.
“You can’t even blame him for getting picked by Philly,” Jefferson said, per ESPN. “All of the backlash that he was getting, from Philly fans mostly, I definitely felt bad for him at that time. He didn’t ask for any of that. He is just being a player, getting drafted to the team he got drafted to. I definitely hated it for him, but I’m glad he’s on our team.”
Ex-Eagles WR Jalen Reagor Ready for New Start With Vikings
While Reagor arrives in Minnesota in a diminished role compared to his time with the Eagles, the former TCU wide receiver, who was a teammate of recently deceased Vikings first-round pick Jeff Gladney, said he’s not looking too far ahead to any promotion.
“I feel welcomed being here,” Reagor said in a September 5 press conference following his trade from Philadelphia. “It’s just another opportunity to show what I can do. I’m going to make the most of it and let everything come to me.”
Reagor figures to be the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart behind Jefferson, Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn. He assumes the starting punt returner role for the Vikings. He returned one punt for seven yards against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.
Asked if he views his return as a revenge game, Reagor leaned into the animosity he may face from Eagles fans.
“Of course, why not?” he said on September 16, per the Pioneer Press. “But I’m not going to go into the game pressing. Just going to let the game come to me. Whatever plays I make, make the best of them.”