5 Vikings who disappointed during the 2018 season
By Nik Edlund
2. Laquon Treadwell – WR
I’ve got to admit it, when the Vikings drafted Laquon Treadwell in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, I was ecstatic. I was shocked that the big-bodied wideout fell to Minnesota with the 23rd pick and I had high hopes for him.
When he didn’t play much during his first couple years, I chalked that up to Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen breaking out and there not being enough targets to go around.
During the 2018 preseason and training camp, there was a lot of buzz surrounding No. 11 though. Supposedly, he was catching everything in sight and forming a quick bond with new Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Once the games started though, it was more of the same. Treadwell wasn’t getting many targets and the ones that did come his way often bounced right off his chest or hands.
Key drops in Minnesota’s Week 2 game against the Green Bay Packers caused the team to go out and sign Aldrick Robinson. Treadwell never really got out of Mike Zimmer’s doghouse after that performance in Green Bay and he wasn’t even active for the team’s Week 15 game against the Detroit Lions.
Treadwell did finish the season with career-best numbers in 2018 as he hauled in 35 passes for 302 yards and one touchdown.
That’s all fine and good, but for his career, he has just 56 receptions, 517 yards, and one touchdown. That’s a terrible return on a first-round investment for the Vikings.
Heading into the 2019 season, Treadwell will be a guy on the roster bubble. If Minnesota brings in a pass catcher in free agency or the draft, that won’t bode well for the 2016 first-rounder and it will really hurt his chances to finish out his rookie contract with the team.