Laquon Treadwell’s time with the Vikings nearing the end

After three disappointing seasons, the Minnesota Vikings are not expected to exercise the fifth-year option for their young wide receiver.

Hopes were pretty high for Laquon Treadwell around this time three years ago. Treadwell had just been selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and the young receiver out of Ole Miss was getting ready to begin what seemed like a promising pro career.

Three underwhelming seasons later, however, Treadwell appears to be entering what might be his final few months as a member of the Vikings.

According to the Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson on Tuesday, Minnesota is not expected to exercise the fifth-year option in the young receiver’s contract. The Vikings have until Friday to make their final decision, but it looks like 2019 will likely be Treadwell’s last season in the Twin Cities.

It doesn’t seem like a hard decision for Minnesota to make. If the Vikings actually did exercise his fifth-year option, Treadwell would be owed more than $10 million in 2020.

It may seem crazy, but a guy who has just one touchdown catch in the last three seasons doesn’t really seem like he deserves to be paid more than $10 million next year. To be honest, Treadwell will be lucky to even be on an NFL roster in 2020 based on how he’s performed during his professional football career so far.

He may actually struggle to make the Vikings’ roster this year. Minnesota just added two more receivers in the draft and both will be looking to take snaps away from Treadwell in 2019.

When the Vikings originally drafted the former Ole Miss pass catcher, the team was hoping that he and Stefon Diggs would be able to develop into one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. But this decision was made before the emergence of Adam Thielen.

Thielen and Diggs’ development has skyrocketed, while Treadwell has struggled to accomplish the simplest duties of his job like catching the ball.

It’s disappointing that the 23-year-old’s tenure with Minnesota hasn’t been able to work out, especially since the team used a first-round pick on him.

But with Treadwell having worse career numbers in his first three seasons than former Vikings draft bust Troy Williamson, the decision to let him go elsewhere in the near future is a no brainer.