The Minnesota Vikings have officially wrapped up their 2026 NFL draft picks, and while they snagged a handful of solid rookies, there are still holes in this lineup to fill. Now, the Vikings are being urged to add a wide receiver to their final lineup who would gel with quarterback Kyler Murray.
Looking at the 2026 NFL draft, the team’s most controversial pick was taking Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks with the 18th overall selection, due to his injury history and being out last season. USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz gave the team a “C” grade for the selection, noting that “Banks has been waylaid by multiple foot injuries in the last year, and staying healthy could be a considerable concern.”
So, with a shaky draft class, adding players after the draft become even more important. Now, the Minnesota Vikings are being urged to add free agent wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. to the mix.
Minnesota Vikings Urged to Add Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel to Beef Up Offense
In a piece out on Monday, April 27 for Vikings Territory, Dustin Barker urges the team to sign Samuel. He says Samuel and Murray would have great chemistry, which is really all you have to hear to think this is a solid idea.
“Kyler Murray, entering his eighth season, has never been known for a deep-ball-heavy offense, although Murray certainly has the arm for it,” he states in the piece. “If the Vikings build their offense around his obvious strengths — a strategy they absolutely should pursue — Samuel would be a highly sensible target.”
He adds that “Samuel excels with the ball in his hands, typically operating near or just beyond the line of scrimmage.”
Pro Football Network’s Austin Swaim also likes the idea of Samuel to the Vikings, stating, “Imagine telling someone at the start of 2023 that Deebo Samuel would be combining with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. That would be discussed as perhaps the greatest wide receiver room ever.”
Swaim adds that “Samuel’s ‘decline’ being a season in which he still crested 700 receiving yards despite quarterback issues might mean that becomes a reality, especially as the Vikings look to give either Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy all the assistance they can get.”
Samuel’s career earnings are around $82 million, according to research from Spotract. He’s a Pro Bowler who was with the San Francisco 49ers from 2019 to 2024 and Washington Commanders in 2025. While his production has declined, pair him with Murray, and he could thrive once again.
Vikings Get ‘C+’ Grade Following 2026 NFL Draft Picks
The Minnesota Vikings are getting some slack for their 2026 NFL draft selections in The Ringer’s analysis of NFL teams. In the piece, the Vikings get a “C+” grade, with the outlet calling it a “high-protein draft class” that focused “on the defensive side of the ball early.”
The good news is that they like the Banks pick, stating, that “defensive tackle Caleb Banks is a high-variance, risky pick because of his history with foot injuries. But if he can stay healthy, he brings immense upside as a chaos creator on the inside.”
For all the criticism of the Banks selection, it’s going to be fun to see him line up alongside Domonique Orange. Now, it’s time for the Minnesota Vikings to prove that “C+” grade wrong.
Vikings Encouraged to Sign $82 Million WR to Pair With Kyler Murray