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The Jauan Jennings signing doesn’t appear to be working out for the Minnesota Vikings. In the offseason, the Vikings signed the veteran wideout to a one-year contract worth $8 million to replace Jalen Nailor, who left via free agency.
Nonetheless, Jennings hasn’t worked out to be that WR3 for the Vikings, as he has two catches for nine yards in four games. As a result, with the trade deadline nearing, there’s speculation about whether Jennings could be on the move.
On the Oct. 13 episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” NFL insider Ian Rapoport said he expects discussions about a potential Jennings trade to pick up over the next few days and weeks.
As a result, potential landing spots for Jennings are starting to emerge. In an Oct. 13 article, Minnesota Vikings on SI’s Devon Platana has the Kansas City Chiefs as a potential landing spot for Jennings.
“The Chiefs are another team that likely wouldn’t mind some WR help. Entering Week 6, tight end Travis Kelce is the only Kansas City pass-catcher on pace to hit the 1,000-yard mark this season,” Platana wrote.
“Even though the Chiefs are undefeated, Patrick Mahomes clearly needs another weapon, especially as top WRs Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy are both averaging career lows in receiving yards per game at 47.5 and 33.3, respectively. Adding Jennings to the mix would be a huge gain for Mahomes, especially if the current Vikings wideout is motivated by a fresh start.”
Chiefs Had Prior Interest in Jauan Jennings
Platana adds that the Chiefs’ prior interest in Jennings might cause Kansas City to revisit the veteran wideout if the Vikings are open to listening to offers for him.
“Knowing the Chiefs previously coveted him could also boost Jennings’s confidence, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in May that the AFC West leaders were interested in signing him before the Vikings won the sweepstakes,” Platana added in his article.
“With their WR depth clearly a concern, don’t be surprised if the Chiefs are among the first in line to make an offer for Jennings.”
Although it doesn’t seem to be working out in Minnesota, Jennings has been a productive wideout. During his five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Jennings had 210 catches for 2,581 yards and scored 22 touchdowns in 75 games, per StatMuse.
Adam Thielen on Vikings’ Kyler Murray After Week 5 Win
While Jennings likely isn’t having an ideal time in the Vikings’ offense given his production, in Week 5, the offensive unit showed promise. The team’s former wideout Adam Thielen shared his thoughts on the win over the New Orleans Saints and Kyler Murray as Minnesota is now 5-0 heading into their bye week.
“The way the defense is playing, I think the first couple of weeks proved that it was possible,” Thielen said during an Oct. 12 appearance on KFAN. “Especially with how the offense played the first couple of weeks, it’s like, ‘All right, if they can progress a little bit, there’s definitely a chance.’ We saw that a little bit [against the Saints].
“You’re starting to see why they brought Kyler in—scrambling a little bit, getting some yards with his feet, then scrambling and dumping it to the running back, who gets 15 yards. They’re just starting to see glimpses of Kyler being Kyler. Let’s not forget him sitting in the pocket and delivering a perfect ball to Justin Jefferson in the back of the end zone with three guys around him. There are definitely glimpses of what this could be.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo