Where do Vikings turn for WR3 if it's not Brandon Powell or Jalen Nailor?

Nailor has the speed and apparent confidence, but do the Vikings believe in him?

Sep 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

After losing K.J. Osborn to free agency this offseason, Brandon Powell seems like the frontrunner as his replacement at WR3 in Minnesota, but could third-year receiver Jalen Nailor be a dark horse to win the job?

Hailing from Michigan State, the Vikings selected Nailor with the No. 161 pick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds, he was a talented college player, compiling 86 catches for 1,453 yards and 12 touchdowns throughout his four-year career.

Still only 25 years old, he has struggled to catch on in the NFL with only 12 catches for 208 yards and one touchdown in 21 games. Heading into 2024, Nailor is expected to compete with Brandon Powell and Trishton Jackson for roles behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at the wide receiver position.

"Jalen Nailor had another really good offseason program. When he's healthy and on the field, he shows up every single opportunity he's gotten," head coach Kevin O'Connell said last week. "That's our challenge to him is sometimes things are out of your control and then we understand that, but for him to take that next step, we're going to need to see him out there a lot as part of that group."

Health will be the biggest factor in Nailor's development. He missed almost four weeks of training camp last offseason because of a lower-leg injury and his 2023-24 season was cut short in December due to a concussion. He missed all three days of mandatory minicamp this offseason due to an illness.

Nailor's roster spot will not be guaranteed heading into the third year of his four-year rookie contract, but the Vikings will have 48 catches, 540 yards and three touchdowns from Osborn last season to replace.

Nailor recently made a bold announcement on Instagram: "Bout to wake everybody up this year."

If he does, Minnesota will have a field-stretching receiver to pair with two high-end route runners in Jefferson and Addison. Powell was good for the Vikings last season, but Nailor's upside might be a quality that takes the Vikings offense to a new level.

If Nailor doesn't impress to the point that he wins the WR3 job, then Minnesota may have to put its faith in Powell or Jackson – or look for someone like Hunter Renfrow in free agency or try to swing a trade before the season. The Athletic's Alec Lewis named Amari Cooper, Chris Godwin, Robert Woods and Noah Brown as four pending free agents who could get gettable via trade before the season, though he noted that the price for Cooper and Godwin might be too steep for a Vikings team strapped in the draft picks department.

Lewis seems to be higher on the idea of Woods or Brown, both of whom are behind Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins and Tank Dell on the Texans' depth chart.

"These two players also align with what the Vikings want at the No. 3 receiver spot. Both are capable at blocking in the run game, which was one of Osborn’s major responsibilities. O’Connell also coached Woods in Los Angeles in 2021," Lewis wrote.