In one of the easier calls among this year’s fifth-year option decisions, the Vikings are passing on Jalen Reagor‘s. Minnesota, which assumed this responsibility after acquiring Reagor via trade last summer, will decline to give the receiver/returner a 2024 salary guarantee, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes.
Had the Vikings exercised this option before today’s deadline, Reagor would have been due a $12.99MM fully guaranteed salary in 2024. Given the 5-foot-11 pass catcher’s performance in Philadelphia and low usage rate in Minnesota, he was never a candidate to see his option picked up.
[RELATED: 2024 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
The Eagles were not the only receiver-needy team to pass on Justin Jefferson, but while the previous two teams that did so — the Broncos and Cowboys — landed locked-in starters in Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, Philly missed badly on Reagor. The TCU product went 21st overall — one spot in front of his current Vikings teammate — and is believed to have been a preference of Howie Roseman‘s and then-Eagles coaches (whereas the scouting consensus was Jefferson).
Reagor, 24, became wildly unpopular with Eagles fans, as the team had previously whiffed on a 2019 receiver investment (second-rounder JJ Arcega-Whiteside) and has not eclipsed 400 yards in a season yet. Months of trade rumors followed the second-generation NFLer last year, and the Vikings sent the Eagles two draft choices for Reagor — a 2023 seventh-rounder and a conditional fifth in 2024 — just before last season began.
Still rostering Adam Thielen last season, the Vikings did not give Reagor many opportunities. Jefferson, Thielen and K.J. Osborn operated as the team’s top three wideouts. Reagor caught eight passes for 104 yards and a touchdown during his Minnesota debut. The team has since released Thielen, but first-rounder Jordan Addison is now in the fold. This stands to effectively keep Reagor’s ceiling at the WR4 level. Reagor did work as the Vikes’ primary punt returner last season, averaging 6.4 yards per return.
shocking!
Back at the NovaCare Complex, Howie Roseman is grinning like a Cheshire cat.
I doubt it. He got something for a former 1st round pick but Reagor scored a touchdown and was a reliable punt returner so the Vikings got more value in this trade.
Just shows Howie isn’t right all the time. But he absolutely killed it this year in the draft so I’d cut him some slack.
all I have to say, “ya don’t say…” (tongue in cheek)