Just-Released WR Should Have Vikings' Attention as Depth Remains an Issue

The Minnesota Vikings remain undefeated as their bye week continues, but that doesn't mean they should be satisfied with their performance so far.

Although the Purple and Gold's special teams and defensive units are among the NFL's best, the Vikings' offense hasn't been firing on all cylinders this season. Sure, things were slowly improving heading into the bye, but there's still plenty of room for improvement—especially at wide receiver.

Outside of Justin Jefferson, who's been his usual dynamic self, Minnesota's wideout situation has been a bit of a mess over the past five games. Jordan Addison was picking up steam but hasn't played since Week 4 due to a hamstring injury. The Jauan Jennings signing has been a colossal bust so far; Tai Felton has been invisible more often than not, and Myles Price has been too, who fumbled against the Saints last week.

Clearly, the Vikings need some WR help, and while general manager Nolan Teasley could look to the trade market, he should be interested in a newly available name that just hit the market.

Darius Slayton should have Vikings' attention following Colts release

The Vikings recently added Odell Beckham Jr. to their practice squad, and now they can sign another ex-Giant. On Friday morning, the Colts announced they've released veteran WR Darius Slayton, who signed with Indianapolis last month, two weeks after New York released him.

With their top wideout, Alec Pierce, dealing with a foot injury, the Colts brought Slayton in for help. The 29-year-old playmaker, however, didn't suit up for any games and was scratched in Week 5 due to a knee injury.

Assuming that the knee issue isn't severe, though, the Vikings should at least kick the tires to see if Slayton is open to joining Murray's arsenal.

Still something left in the tank

Drafted 171st overall in 2019, Slayton was a reliable weapon throughout his seven years with the Giants. He was often available (missing 11 regular-season games) and productive, hitting the 700-yard mark four times while averaging 651.3 receiving yards over his last four seasons. A large part of that success stems from his blazing speed, with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash time.

For what it's worth, Jefferson and tight end T.J. Hockenson are the only Vikings on pace to surpass 700 receiving yards this season.

It's been a few years since Slayton achieved that feat, but that doesn't mean he can't help the Vikings.

He just recorded 37 catches for 538 receiving yards and a touchdown in 14 games, averaging 14.5 yards per catch, only slightly below his career average (15.0). Slayton's four penalties last season might raise some concerns, but hopefully it's something that head coach Kevin O'Connell can iron out of his game.

Slayton's reputation as a decent human being is another reason why the Vikings should want him in the locker room. He won the 2025 Alan Page Community Award for his community work in the New York area, and that's a big deal since the award is considered "the NFLPA’s highest honor." More leadership like that is never a bad thing.

Veteran versatility

It also wouldn't hurt to inject another veteran face into the practice squad after signing Beckham.

Dillon Bell and Michael Briscoe have potential, but they're both undrafted rookies whom the Vikings might not be ready to throw into the fire yet. Second-year WR Jeshaun Jones made his first-career catch (h/t Minnesota Vikings UK) against the Saints in Week 5, but even then, he played more special teams snaps (11) than offense (six).

Slayton likely won't be a significant upgrade over the current taxi-squad options, but his experience stemming from 106 career games (78 starts) can't be understated. The Vikings would be better off throwing him into a high-stakes late-season game than an unproven undrafted rookie, who might not be ready for that kind of pressure.

Bottom line

Injuries around the NFL will keep piling up with each passing week, meaning teams will only get more desperate to sign a veteran WR like Slayton. If the Vikings are wise, they'll use their available time during the bye week to contact the just-released playmaker, potentially taking the first of several steps toward addressing their receiver-related depth concerns.

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