Over his first two NFL seasons after the Minnesota Vikings took him in the sixth round of the 2022 draft, wide receiver Jalen Nailor played a total of 151 offensive snaps with 12 receptions for 208 yards and one touchdown. Such is life when you're so far down the deep depth chart, with injuries also a factor.
Last season, opportunity knocked louder for Nailor. While his catch and yardage totals weren't eye-popping overall (28 catches for 414 yards), his six receiving touchdowns were third on the team, he averaged 14.8 yards per catch (narrowly behind Justin Jefferson's 14.9 YPC), and he played 573 offensive snaps as the Vikings' No. 3 wide receiver.
A second driving-related legal incident in as many offseasons last summer has Minnesota wide receiver Jordan Addison in the crosshairs of the league office for a possible suspension. It feels inevitable he will be suspended for a few games, likely the first however many contests of the 2025 season, so the team should be planning for his expected absence.
Kevin O'Connell puts spotlight on Minnesota Vikings WR Jalen Nailor heading into 2025 season
ESPN's Kevin Seifert took a deep dive into the Vikings' offseason, touching on several topics. One was the prospect of Addison being suspended, as his misdemeanor DUI charge moves through the court system in Los Angeles, and who Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell will call upon to step up if the third-year receiver is suspended.
"I think we basically went through that last year with Jordan [missing games]," O'Connell said. "We essentially, for two and a half games, didn't have him, and we were able to beat the San Francisco 49ers and the Houston Texans with Jalen Nailor playing huge roles in those games."
Nailor had a touchdown in each of the two full games Addison missed last season, with six catches for 85 yards in total.
He also had a touchdown in the season opener, when Addison suffered the ankle injury that cost him the following two games. His other three touchdowns last season proved to be pivotal scores in wins over the Indianapolis Colts (Week 9), Chicago Bears (Week 12), and Green Bay Packers (Week 17).
With the opportunity that's lined up to come early in the 2025 season, even with competition from the newly signed Rondale Moore and possibly a draft pick, O'Connell landed on the punch line for Nailor as he enters a contract year.
"I think this is a massive, massive year for his career," O'Connell said.