Vikings In Trade Talks for Speedy AFC Star: Report

The Minnesota Vikings have taken a temperature check of the wide receiver trade market ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

KSTP’s Darren Wolfson revealed the Vikings have had conversations with teams around the league at several key positions, including wide receiver.

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Vikings Inquired About Steelers WR Chase Claypool: Report

Appearing on the SKOR North podcast on October 27, Wolfson revealed that Minnesota has made calls approaching the November 1 trade deadline.

There are still few specifics with many teams feeling out the rest of the league, however, Wolfson did confirm one conversation involving Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool.

“I have heard there has been chatter with Pittsburgh,” Wolfson said. “My understanding is they at least made an inquiry about Claypool.”

A 2020 second-round pick, Claypool splashed onto the NFL landscape his rookie year, snagging a league-best nine receiving touchdowns by a rookie receiver. He finished the 2020 regular season with 62 receptions for 873 yards, a 14.1-yard average, and nine receiving touchdowns, adding 10 carries for 16 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Wolfson added that there has been dialogue with the Denver Broncos, although there’s no confirmation which players were discussed. The Broncos have received trade offers for defensive end Bradley Chubb and wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Vikings have also been urged to trade for Broncos slot cornerback K’Wuan Williams.

Minnesota has also contacted the Houston Texans, who are shopping veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks.

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Vikings Searching for a Deep Threat in Passing Game

The Vikings’ confirmed conversation involving Claypool confirms one thing: they are looking for a deep threat to run opposite of Justin Jefferson.

While Adam Thielen at the age of 32 is still one of the league’s most precise route runners and red-zone threats, the Minnesota native has lost a step. He’s getting open often, but largely on short routes. Thielen is averaging a career-lows of 9.8 yards per reception and 9.0 average depth per target, per Pro Football Reference. Thielen still has an important role in the offense, however, Minnesota is not using him to stretch the field.

The Vikings would benefit from a proven deep threat.

Jefferson has struggled when defenses have stayed in shell coverage and devoted double and triple teams to his side of the field. Another deep option like Claypool would benefit in single coverage or take the attention off Jefferson and force the defense to pick their poison.

At 6-foot-4, 238 pounds, Claypool ran a 4.42 40-yard dash, which graded in the 82nd percentile of his draft class and posted a 40.5-inch verticle that graded in the 93rd percentile, according to Mockdraftable. Claypool is one of the most remarkable blends of size and athleticism in the league since Andre Johnson, and his potential has largely been untapped with a troubling quarterback situation in Pittsburgh.

K.J. Osborn has developed into a solid third wide receiver, however, looking at many of the league’s top offenses, their top two receivers are players who can stretch the field. He’s been used primarily in the slot this season.

Player	Wide	Slot
Justin Jefferson	273	102
Adam Thielen	265	109
K.J. Osborn	113	187

Minnesota is making due deploying Jefferson and Thielen on the outside but if the Vikings want to unlock the rest of the field and open up the running game, having a true deep threat opposite of Jefferson may be the final piece to catapulting the Vikings’ offense into the league’s top-five units.

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