Report: Minnesota Vikings moving on from Laquon Treadwell

The 2016 first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings is expected to be cut if he is not traded by the final roster deadline on Saturday.

When the Minnesota Vikings drafted Laquon Treadwell in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, they were excited about his potential.

As a big-bodied receiver that could go up and get the ball and be a red zone target for emerging quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings thought they got a steal with the 23rd overall pick.

Of course, things didn’t pan out the way the Vikings had planned and as rumors swirled about a potential trade this preseason, it appears that Minnesota will move on one way or another as NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that if Treadwell is not dealt by Saturday’s 3 p.m. roster deadline, he will be cut.

Such will be the end of a disappointing tenure in Minnesota for Treadwell. After dominating at Ole Miss during his junior year (82 catches, 1,143 yards, 11 touchdowns), Treadwell never regained the burst that was taken away from a gruesome season-ending leg injury that ended his sophomore season after nine games.

Once he arrived in the NFL, Treadwell seemed to be his own worst enemy as he couldn’t get on the field during his rookie season and it resulted in one catch for 15 yards.

With the departure of Pat Shurmur following the 2017 season, Treadwell earned more playing time. But his stat line was modest with 35 catches for 302 yards and one touchdown.

Treadwell was also a nuisance in other ways such as running the wrong route on several plays and saying strange things to the media like saying the 2018 season, where the Vikings missed the playoffs, was a success.

With Michael Thomas, who was selected 24 picks after Treadwell in that draft, enjoying an All-Pro career with the New Orleans Saints, it’s clear that Treadwell has cemented himself both as one of the biggest draft mistakes and draft busts in Minnesota franchise history.