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Kevin O’Connell Opens Up on What 1 Depth Receiver Needs to Do on 53-Man Roster
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- Kevin O’Connell Opens Up on What 1 Depth Receiver Needs to Do on 53-Man Roster
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Part of the problem for any newcomer at receiver is that the top three spots are essentially secure (short of extenuating circumstances such as injury, suspension, and so on). So, what's a young lad to do to get onto Kevin O'Connell's team?
Presumably, scrape and claw in search of special teams work and maybe a spare target here and there.
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O'Connell took to the podium after the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 13-3. Perhaps the game's foremost highlight came when J.J. McCarthy stepped up in the pocket to deliver a 50-yard pass to Tai Felton . The sophomore appears to be a near certainty to make the final roster, a minor update that confirms the expectation rather than being shocking news.
Kevin O'Connell Opens Up on What 1 Depth WR Needs to Do
Last year, Mr. Felton did next to nothing on offense. To a certain extent, that's to be expected, but getting scooped up in the 3rd means arriving with some optimism and expectations. He had just 3 catches go for 25 yards.
Where Felton offered value was on specials. The long and blazingly fast receiver partnered with Tavierre Thomas to form a gruesome twosome out at gunner ( Ryan Wright had plenty of good things to say ). Offering a sprinter's speed alongside no shortage of feisty compete made Felton a natural out there while leaving the door ajar for getting worked into the mix on offense.
Aug 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Tai Felton (13) catches a pass as Baltimore Ravens safety Silas Walters (36) defends during the first half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
To that end, Kevin O'Connell has clarified what he's looking to see as Felton moves into his sophomore season.
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"He's had a good camp," O'Connell explained , "I think he's made some good plays." And then the real meat of the answer: "We want to continue to see where he's at and his ability to execute at multiple positions. Because that's going to be his game day role. He's gotta be ready to really serve a depth position behind those top three guys."
Note that the "top three guys" O'Connell is referencing are WR1 Justin Jefferson, WR2 Jordan Addison, and WR3 Jauan Jennings.
"He's got a different skill set with his speed, explosiveness," O'Connell went on to say. The skipper's final thought: "He's still going to be a heck of a 48-man, game day roster special teams player for us."
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O'Connell appears to be hinting that the Vikings are going to search for a speed demon to get work out wide (at least occasionally). Doing so will prompt the safety to think twice about triggering too aggressively on one of those patented Justin Jefferson crossing routes in the middle of the field.
In Minnesota's ideal world, a single safety is going to get put into a no-win position.
Failing to keep a roof over Felton means risking a long bomb, potentially for a score. Failing to work down aggressively on Jefferson means risking an intermediate throw going for much more, potentially for a score.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Tai Felton (13) fields the ball and turns upfield during first-quarter action against the Green Bay Packers, Jan. 4, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Felton accelerates into space as Minnesota looks to generate early momentum in a key division matchup at home. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Of course, the expectation remains that Felton's job is going to be fairly modest. Jefferson will feast and Addison appears ready to explode. Furthermore, there's the presence of Jauan Jennings, the beefy WR3 who blocks DBs into oblivion and who does a nice job with contested catches.
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Where Tai Felton would do well is to prove capable of efficient explosion. The WR may not get the most catches but can he boast a great per-catch average? Think something in the range of 15-20 yards per catch.
Felton is 23.
Also Read on Vikings Territory: How Much Could J.J. McCarthy Net in a Trade?
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