There is no polite way to say that Jauan Jennings has been a free-agent bust for the Vikings. He has played in four of the team's first five games, catching two passes for nine yards on five targets.
Jennings's lack of production has put even more pressure on Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison to pick up the slack. It's disappointing when both Myles Price (26) and Tai Felton (41) have more receiving yards than the sixth-year pro.
That said, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Vikings make a move for a wide receiver before the trade deadline to spark the offense and give starting quarterback Kyler Murray another potential target to throw the ball to.
Fortunately, one potential target for general manager Nolan Teasley is beginning to emerge.
Vikings need to look into acquiring Browns WR Jerry Jeudy before the trade deadline
The Vikings should call the Browns before the trade deadline to ask about the availability of wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. He could do a lot more with the 201 offensive snaps that Jennings has played for Minnesota this year.
Jeudy has played only 19 more snaps than Jennings this year, but has 12 receptions for 150 yards this season. Of those 150 yards, 42 were gained after the catch despite running routes that average more than 10 yards deep.
The Browns would need to take on a large amount of his three-year, $52.5 million contract, which carries approximately a $10.4 million cap hit this season and $13.5 million next season. However, his contract has no guaranteed money left in 2027, according to OverTheCap, making him a potential rental player should the Vikings want to move on after the 2026 season ends.
Jennings has made it clear that he isn't a good fit for the Vikings' offense. He isn't contributing as a receiver, and he has the lowest run-blocking grade on the team, according to Pro Football Focus. Jeudy would instantly upgrade the Minnesota roster.
PFF grade | Jerry Jeudy | Jauan Jennings |
|---|---|---|
Overall offense | 61.5 | 40.2 |
Receiving | 61.7 | 45.8 |
Run blocking | 59.8 | 30.3 |
Run-blocking snaps | 47 | 69 |
Pass protection | N/A | 65.7 |
Pass protection snaps | 0 | 1 |
Of course, a trade might not happen if the Browns continue winning. They are currently 4-2 and in a three-way tie for the top of the AFC North. If the Browns believe they can make the playoffs, they may not want to deal the seventh-year pro.
Jeudy has had a knack for making big catches lately. His Week 4 heroics saw him catch two big late-game passes to put away the Steelers, and in Week 6 he hauled in a 33-yard pass on third down to finish off the Ravens.
According to Sports News' Aman Sharma, Jeudy had an opportunity to shoot down any potential trade talks but instead called it a "day-to-day" situation. That response is interesting because it amplified any trade rumors that were already swirling.
The Vikings need to at least inquire about what it would take to acquire Jeudy ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline. If the cost isn't too high, adding him to Minnesota's roster as a clutch receiver to take pressure off Jefferson and Addison makes a lot of sense, especially if it means finally addressing the Jennings problem.
Get Vikings On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.
Add us as a preferred source on Google