The $1 million single-year contract former Tennesse Titans wide receiver Tajae Sharpe signed with the Minnesota Vikings this past offseason materialized into minimal returns: zero catches on three targets and 28 snaps on offense.
Minnesota waived Sharpe on Monday to elevate newly acquired tight end Hale Hentges, who was signed to the practice squad last week, to the 53-man roster and in turn, create space for running back Khalfani Muhammad who was signed off waivers the same day.
Sharpe’s free agency period did not last long as the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have stashed Sharpe in their run to defend their title.
Sharpe will be buried beneath an uber-athletic field of wide receivers in Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson, Sammy Watkins and Byron Pringle. The practice squad is also teeming with young size and speed receivers, however, Sharpe has four years of playing experience to leverage his way into playing time once he learns the offense.
He’ll be a name to keep an eye on as the 12-1 Chiefs continue to pace the AFC for the No. 1 seed, a first-week bye and home-field advantage through the AFC playoffs.
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Why Sharpe Rarely Saw the Field in Minnesota
GettySharpe was considered a sleeper this offseason but rarely saw the field.
Sharpe was signed in the offseason in the shade of the Stefon Diggs trade as a deep-threat weapon and potential contingency plan to bolster depth at wide receiver. When Justin Jefferson fell to the Vikings at No. 22 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, there was still potential for Sharpe to remain in the fold as an option outside.
Jefferson was slighted as only a slot receiver coming out of college but quickly proved to be much more than a wide receiver that needed targets schemed his way. Jefferson has already shown elite route-running ability, backed by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman who said Jefferson is “playing like a five, six-year vet.”
Minnesota’s zone-running scheme has left little room for three-wide receiver sets as Jefferson and Thielen have gobbled up the majority of receiving reps. Chad Beebe has emerged as the slot wide receiver option for the Vikings while Olabisi Johnson, who was a starter in the first two weeks, has been superseded by Jefferson and Beebe.
Sharpe’s Becoming of Dead Weight
Sharpe had played 16 of his offensive snaps in the first two games of the season, before Jefferson emerged as a bona fide starter, and then eight games without seeing the field. His presence became a dead weight on the roster as he didn’t play any special teams, prompting Minnesota to finally cut ties with their insurance policy in Sharpe.
It was a smart decision at the time as Sharpe was named one of the biggest sleepers on the Vikings roster entering the season, however, Minnesota’s jackpot in hitting on Jefferson diminished the returns on Sharpe.
Rookies K.J. Osborn and Dan Chisena remained rostered as special teams pieces, meanwhile, Second-year preseason star Alexander Hollins continues to develop on the team’s practice squad.
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- Trevor Squire is a Heavy contributor covering the Minnesota Vikings and journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities. Connect with him on Twitter @trevordsquire and join our Vikings community at Heavy on Vikings on Facebook.
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Chiefs Sign Underachieving Ex-Vikings Wide Receiver: Report