With Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games of the season, and injuries to Rondale Moore and Jailen Nailor further thinning the ranks, there is some serious concern about the wide receiver depth of the Minnesota Vikings.
It's fair to assume the front office shares that concern, and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported as much on Wednesday.
"With Jordan Addison suspended and multiple injuries, the #Vikings are seriously exploring veteran receivers in the trade market, per sources.
All-Pro Justin Jefferson (hamstring) is on track for Week 1. His early-season running mate may not be on the roster."
Pelissero added that "no trade is imminent", but the Vikings are "actively looking." Dianna Russini of The Athletic has reported there is competition on the wide receiver trade market, with the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers also among several teams doing the same.
So who could the Vikings be targeting, and ultimately acquire? Let's look at some top options.
5 wide receivers the Minnesota Vikings could be targeting on the trade market
5. Romeo Doubs (Green Bay Packers)
Some Vikings fans will hate the idea of trading for a Packer. But Green Bay has an ongoing surplus of wide receivers, and entering the final year of his contract, Romeo Doubs looks like a prime trade candidate. A back injury sidelined him for a time this preseason, but he recently returned to practice.
Doubs' track record doesn't leap off the page, but last year he set career-highs in yards per catch (13.1) and yards per target (8.3), and he had eight touchdowns in 2023. He does have an issue with drops, with 22 over his three seasons, but that feels like a little project for Vikings' wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell.
4. Kendrick Bourne (New England Patriots)
Speaking of a team with a surplus of wide receivers, the New England Patriots make the Packers blush, so much so that two of them made a recent list of cut candidates from Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports.
One of those cut candidates was Kendrick Bourne, who had just 305 yards last season to continue his downward trend in production since putting up 800 yards in 2021 (his first season in New England).
The Vikings got a close look at the Patriots during joint practices last week and during the second preseason game, of course. Bourne is not a star, but he can be a nice complementary piece, and he can surely help a lot of teams. To that end, in light of Russini's report, the 49ers could be interested in a reunion here.
3. Alec Pierce (Indianapolis Colts)
The Colts are going with Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback, which has immediately brought Alec Pierce's name up in trade speculation.
It's safe to say the reigning league leader in yards per catch (22.3) is a better fit for a quarterback who is willing to throw downfield (like Anthony Richardson, even with all his other flaws). As such, he is likely to be doing a lot of cardio with Jones under center.
The direction the Colts are going feels very unclear. They have a head coach and general manager who are so much in job preservation mode that they're bailing on the raw young quarterback they spent a top-five overall pick on. It seems to be a prime time for other teams to pounce on their potential trade assets.
2. Tutu Atwell (Los Angeles Rams)
Tutu Atwell seems to be the subject of praise from Rams' head coach Sean McVay every offseason and/or preseason, but then it always yields little when the season starts.
Spurred by a stretch where the Rams were without Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp (284 yards, 14.2 yards per catch over those four games), Atwell set career-highs in catches (42) and yards (562) last season. He also has a bit of return came experience, as both a kickoff and punt returner, but he hasn't done it since his rookie season in 2021.
Of course, Vikings' head coach Kevin O'Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips were on the Rams' coaching staff in 2021, so there's some latent familiarity here. Besides Atwell, Jordan Whittington is another Rams' wide receiver who could be on the radar.
1. Adam Thielen (Carolina Panthers)
No list of wide receivers the Vikings could trade for is complete without Adam Thielen. The Detroit Lakes, Minnesota native is nearing the end of his career, and the Panthers may be (should be?) willing to clear playing time for their younger receivers.
Thielen's exit from the Vikings in 2023 was rather awkward, but he is still a capable player, and he's an ideal veteran target for J.J. McCarthy after the two worked out together this offseason.
Thielen has a $6 million base salary this season, which is the root of Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune playing "Buzz Killington" for Vikings fans who want a reunion.
Thielen could stick in a role as the No. 3 wide receiver for the Vikings after Addison is back from a suspension, which mitigates the idea that his $6 million base salary is somehow too much to take on. He would be a proven commodity in that role, which has taken on greater importance with Nailor's outlook due to a hand injury being so unclear right now.
The bigger question is what the Panthers would want in a trade, but as long as it's a Day 3 draft pick, the Vikings should not be out based on the cost.