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Jalen Nailor Picks New Team
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- Jalen Nailor Picks New Team
Jeffrey Becker
It wasn't meant to be, at least not to the tune of a second contract. Wide receiver Jalen Nailor left the Minnesota Vikings on Monday during free agency, picking the Las Vegas Raiders as his next employer.
Minnesota just lost one of its few proven depth receivers.
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Nailor spent four seasons in the Twin Cities, and he takes his show on the road to a franchise where he might have a puncher's chance at an WR1 job.
Vikings Now Face a Big Decision at WR3
Nailor was not in Minnesota's offseason cards in 2026.
A Las Vegas Raiders helmet sits on the sideline during preseason action at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with the scene captured on Aug. 23, 2025 as players and equipment line the bench area ahead of live snaps. The close-up highlights the Raiders branding during the exhibition matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Nailor to Raiders
Say your emotional goodbyes to Nailor. Las Vegas Review-Journal 's Adam Hill announced Monday , "The Las Vegas Raiders are bringing home a former local high school football standout. Bishop Gorman alum Jalen Nailor has agreed to terms with the Raiders on a free-agent contract worth $35 million over three years with $23 million guaranteed."
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"Contracts cannot be officially signed until the new league year begins on Wednesday, but teams were allowed to begin negotiating at 9 a.m. on Monday. Nailor was a sixth-round pick of the Vikings in 2022 out of Michigan State and has spent his entire career in Minnesota. He has 69 catches for 1,066 yards and 11 touchdowns in three seasons."
Until Monday, Nailor represented the Vikings' top free-agency mystery : Would he stay or would he go? Nailor left for home; he's from Las Vegas. It's a hometown reunion.
The Projections Were Right
When the offseason kicked off, some NFL media members whispered that Nailor could retrieve a contract north of $10 million per year. Others, like the website Sportrac , valued Nailor at around $4 million per season. In short, Spotrac utterly missed the boat.
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While Nailor has never registered over 500 receiving yards in a single season, NFL general managers allegedly see more upside in him, and the Raiders' contract serves as proof.
Nailor jelled instantly with Vikings QB1 J.J. McCarthy in 2025, one of the few receivers to do so. Minnesota embarked on the 2026 offseason with a severely skimpy salary cap budget, meaning it could afford a second Nailor contract under $10 million but probably not above that threshold.
In the end, the high-ball Nailor forecasters got it right, and the Spotracs of the world whiffed.
LV's WR Room
The Raiders have the NFL's single-worst WR corps. Full stop. Before any more signings from free agency or the draft in six weeks, this is Las Vegas's WR room, which Nailor will headline for now:
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Jalen Nailor
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Dont'e Thornton
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Phillips Dorsett II
Las Vegas owns the first overall pick in April and is widely expected to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. That young man will need more WR juice than the list above.
It helps that he'll have tight end Brock Bowers in the middle of the field, a Top 3 commodity at his position.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (1) secures a pass while safety Theo Jackson (26) defends during first-half action at Soldier Field in Chicago, with the play unfolding on Sep. 8, 2025 as Minnesota's offense worked through the passing game early in the matchup. Nailor reaches for the catch amid tight coverage. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images.
RaidersWire 's Levi Damien on the Nailor acquisition : "Nailor doesn't have numbers that jump out, having just 444 yards receiving last season. The best you can say is his number have gone up each of the past two seasons and he brings plenty of speed (4.50 40-yard dash) to the table."
"The Raiders were said to have been interested in free agent WR Alec Pierce before he re-signed with the Colts, so they seem to have shifted their focus a bit to somewhat less in-demand options. The hope being, of course, that Nailor's best football is ahead of him."
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Who to Replace Nailor?
The obvious choice is Tai Felton for WR3. But the Vikings targeted receiver Felton only three times last season. As a result of these few offensive snaps, the rookie's impact was minimal, and he primarily contributed on special teams.
This limited role is noteworthy given the Vikings' investment. They selected Felton in the 3rd Round last April, a point in the draft where teams typically anticipate immediate offensive contributions. Instead, Felton's first year was more akin to a developmental season. A redshirt year. While some may interpret this as a deliberate redshirt strategy, he now faces increased expectations. His WR3 teammate left. Felton is the next man up on paper.
Even if Minnesota explores acquiring proven talent like Darnell Mooney or Christian Kirk , Felton remains a central focus. His potential role represents one of the more intriguing questions surrounding the Vikings' offense this offseason.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) runs a route during game action against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, on Sep. 22, 2024, as Minnesota's offense moved through its passing attack. Nailor accelerates upfield during the contest against Houston's defensive coverage. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Otherwise, from the draft, the WR options might look like this before the end of Round 3:
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Jordyn Tyson — Arizona State
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Denzel Boston — Washington
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Kevin Concepcion — Texas A&M
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Omar Cooper Jr. — Indiana
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Chris Brazzell — Tennessee
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Chris Bell — Louisville
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Zachariah Branch — Georgia
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Malachi Fields — Notre Dame
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Germie Bernard — Alabama
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Elijah Sarratt — Indiana
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Antonio Williams — Clemson
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Skyler Bell — UConn
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Ted Hurst — Georgia State
The Vikings could also peek at Tyreek Hill's injury recovery status and subsequent free agency. Minnesota's new assistant head coach, Frank Smith, worked with Hill for four years in Miami as the offensive coordinator, and Hill has said numerous times that he was a staunch Vikings fan as a kid. That storyline may not kick up dust until later in the offseason, however.
Nailor turned 27 one week ago.
