For all intents and purposes, 2026 free agency is over for the Minnesota Vikings. Last offseason's spending spree brought a correction this offseason, and it took perfect alignment with a player's situation to bring Kyler Murray aboard as the new starting quarterback.
Now, the focus can (and should) pivot toward viable moves that can set Murray up to succeed at the highest possible level. One veteran free agent wide receiver, who has history with Murray, has made it crystal clear he'd like to be a Viking, with strong hints that everyone on the team's end knows it.
That said, as they may even be looking to add a veteran wide receiver between now and Week 1, the Vikings should not limit themselves in any feasible way this side of finances.
A proposed reunion with a notable wide receiver doesn't make sense for the Minnesota Vikings
Garrett Podell at CBS Sports has proposed ideal landing spots for 10 of the top remaining free agents as the draft approaches, including the Vikings bringing someone back into the fold after years away.
"The New England Patriots released four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs before free agency began because the cap hits on his contract were set to increase from $10.5 million to $26.5 million in each of the next two seasons."Â
"Diggs was an integral piece for the 2025 AFC champions. At the age of 32 and fresh off a torn ACL, Diggs led the Patriots with 1,013 yards receiving and four touchdowns on 85 catches. His 83.3% catch rate was the second-highest catch rate by a wide receiver in the past 45 seasons, according to CBS Sports Research. Only New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas' 85% catch rate in 2018 was higher than what Diggs produced in 2025."Â
Podell noted how Diggs' legal situation, with a trial date now set for May 4, is a big factor in why he's still available (and why he may remain available until it is resolved). He also noted how Kevin O'Connell was not the Vikings' head coach when Diggs asked to be traded in 2020, and how the heat is on O'Connell to get back to the playoffs next season.
"If Diggs' legal process is resolved, a homecoming to the Minnesota Vikings makes plenty of sense.Jalen Nailor departed for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, so there's an opening at Minnesota's WR3 spot after 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson and former first-round pick Jordan Addison."
Leaving aside how they may not be able to match his contract desires, Diggs may want a bigger role than the Vikings can realistically give him. As talented as Nailor is, he has never had a consistently notable role in the offense as the No. 3 wide receiver. If history is any indication, Diggs will not be happy if he feels the ball isn't coming his way enough, and he will add a passive-aggressive public layer to his discontent.
If the Vikings do add a wide receiver, as flimsy as it seems to be in terms of a reason to rule out signing someone, they may also want someone who contributes on special teams. That is not Diggs.
Diggs is coming off a 1,000-yard season with the Patriots, as he showed himself well after suffering a torn ACL playing for the Houston Texans in 2024. But he's also 32 years old now, and straddling the line of talent and his talent being worth the trouble he may bring with him (on or off the field). It's hard to see the fit here for the Vikings, even if a reunion feels exciting on the surface.