3 biggest needs for the Vikings after the 2021 NFL Draft

Wide Receiver

The Vikings actually added to their receiving corps in the 2021 NFL Draft, yet it could still use a little boost again in 2022. The problem with the depth chart isn’t the talent at the top, it’s the lack of experience at the bottom.

The biggest concern Minnesota should have about their contingent of pass catchers is the lack of experience beyond the top two options. Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson are one of the best wide receiver tandems in the league, but after them, there isn’t a ton to get excited about.

Currently, it looks like Chad Beebe will probably start out the 2021 season as the team’s third receiver, doing most of his work out of the slot. Bisi Johnson will likely be fourth on the depth chart, seeing spot duty here and there.

The question mark is how 2021 fifth-round pick Ihmir Smith-Marsette fits into the equation and where he ultimately will play. There’s a good shot he inherits the slot role from Beebe, which could give the team a more dangerous weapon to utilize in their passing attack.

While the overall depth has been upgraded, the Vikings could be in trouble if Thielen or Jefferson gets hurt next season.

Minnesota would love to have an insurance policy on the roster in the form of a veteran and they have been reportedly sniffing around Dede Westbrook lately. He’d make a lot of sense for the Vikings as he could come in and play at a more consistent level than a rookie or an inexperienced third-year man.