7 cheap free agents that make sense for the Vikings in 2023
By Darcy Weiss
Zach Pascal – WR
2022 Team: Philadelphia Eagles
With Justin Jefferson firmly entrenched as the Vikings’ No. 1 wide reciever and the clear centerpiece of this offense, we saw a fair amount of regression from Adam Thielen in 2022, leaving his future in Minnesota in question.
The good news is that K.J. Osborn made strides last season and earned the trust of quarterback Kirk Cousins, so he could be in line for more targets and a jump into the No. 2 receiver role in 2023, leaving Jailen Nailor and Jalen Reagor to compete with Thielen for the No. 3 reciever spot, if he returns.
Nailor has shown flashes, and he could be a reasonable No. 3 receiver that stretches the field, but Reagor was pretty much a gadget player only on offense. In the end, Minnesota’s No. 3 receiver in 2022 was, at best, the fifth read on most plays last season, and he can likely expect the same treatment in 2023.
One option to bring in is Zach Pascal, who started in just two games in 2022 with the Eagles as a depth option after a four-year tenure with the Colts, during which he racked up 1,888 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Pascal’s not flashy, but the 2017 undrafted free agent is valued at only $2.1 million and could provide veteran depth and security should injuries play a factor for the Vikings’ receivers in 2023.
Jalen Guyton is another cheap free-agent wide receiver option for Minnesota this year, though he is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in 2022 and is not guaranteed to be healthy for the beginning of the upcoming season.