Getty Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Reagor during the 2023 preseason.
The New York Jets could be in the market for a new wide receiver after Corey Davis announced he’d be stepping away from the NFL ahead of the 2023 season.
That means general manager Joe Douglas might be “buying” at the leaguewide 53-man cutdown on August 29, and Pro Football Focus writer Brad Spielberger suggested a former first-round talent that is expected to be waived by the Minnesota Vikings over the next 24 hours. That player is 2020 No. 21 overall pick Jalen Reagor, who began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“The Minnesota Vikings acquired Reagor from the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2023 seventh-round pick and a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick that could become a fourth rounder,” Spielberger explained. “It’s possible the Vikings will move on before Reagor even gets the chance to hit various statistical thresholds in 2023.”
“Reagor played significantly in the preseason with 91 snaps, the most of any wide receiver on the Vikings’ roster,” he went on. “The former first-round pick of the Eagles notched eight receptions for 93 yards over the stretch, and while he’s been solid, he is at best the No. 4 option behind Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn. Depth receivers Brandon Powell and Jalen Nailor offer much more special teams value, which could make Reagor’s role going forward an interesting one. In 2022, Reagor managed just eight receptions for 104 yards and one touchdown, and this season he has a fully guaranteed salary of nearly $2.5 million.”
Jets Have the Cap Space to Trade For Vikings WR Jalen Reagor
Spielberger listed the Jets as a landing spot via waivers, but this could also be a potential trade situation given Reagor’s name value, contract and draft status.
Gang Green probably wouldn’t have to offer much — to be clear — but even if the Vikings traded Reagor for a conditional seventh-round selection in 2025, they’d save that $2.42 million worth of cap space in doing so. On the other side of things, the Jets have over $19.5 million in available space after Davis’ departure that they are likely open to spending ahead of a win-now campaign.
Reagor also fits the profile of a wideout that the Green & White have targeted in the past. The current regime led by Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh have been very open about how much they covet speed at the WR position. Think Elijah Moore, Mecole Hardman, Braxton Berrios and even 2023 UDFAs Xavier Gipson and T.J. Luther.
There was a big-name pass-catcher that NYJ targeted with a similar skill set too, the superstar nicknamed after a cheetah: Tyreek Hill.
“I think one of the things people are trying to find in this draft is your version of Tyreek Hill. He’s not as fast as Tyreek Hill, but he’s going to run in the 4.3s, and he can take the top off coverage,” NFL Network scouting expert Daniel Jeremiah voiced about Reagor in 2020. “You can use him on the jet sweeps, get the ball to him in the flat and just let him go. He can play over the top. The knock on him, he’s got a good number of drops. So he’s got to clean that up.”
The Jets already have Hardman in this role in 2023, but that hasn’t stopped fans from suggesting that Gipson should make the Week 1 roster. Reagor is the higher ceiling version of the latter, and as we know, speed kills. The more of it you have, the better.
Jets Cut OL Adam Pankey Ahead of 53-Man Deadline
There was another reported Jets cut on August 28 — the first being linebacker Nick Vigil the night before. NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo informed: “Jets are releasing OL Adam Pankey. A candidate to return on practice squad. He was on their practice squad most of the 2022 season.”
#Jets are releasing OL Adam Pankey. A candidate to return on practice squad. He was on their practice squad most of the 2022 season.
Similar to Vigil, Pankey was an expected veteran cut that could return — as Garafolo noted. He’s a versatile blocker that can play tackle and guard, but he didn’t post the best numbers during the preseason with a 51.4 grade on PFF.
We’ll see if the 29-year-old journeyman is re-signed to the practice squad later this week.