Who will win the No. 2 wide receiver spot at 2023 Vikings training camp?
EAGAN, Minn. -- With the offseason departure of longtime No. 2 receiver Adam Thielen, the Vikings have a void behind star Justin Jefferson.
With training camp underway this week, the battle for that second spot will be closely watched.
K.J. Osborn has had back-to-back impressive seasons as the No. 3 receiver, catching a total of 110 balls for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns while playing fewer than 75% of offensive snaps in each season. Osborn is clearly talented, but the question remains whether he's ready to take on the No. 2 spot full-time, or if he's a better fit for that No. 3 spot.
The Vikings drafted Jordan Addison with the No. 23 overall pick in April's draft. You don't take a guy that high for him to be the No. 3 receiver, but will he be ready to play Robin to Jefferson's Batman right away as a rookie? Addison was sidelined by injury at organized team activities earlier this summer, though head coach Kevin O'Connell insisted his injury was nothing serious. He has reported to training camp on-time and hasn't been placed on the physically unable to perform list, which are both good signs.
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Addison certainly has the talent to be a No. 2, as you'd expect of a first-round pick. In his standout college season in 2021 at Pitt, he grabbed 100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns. That earned him the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's best receiver. After transferring to USC, his numbers weren't quite as eye-popping, but he still totaled 875 yards and eight touchdowns.
Ultimately, the No. 2 role is intended to be Addison's, the question is really how long it will take him to grab hold of it. It's possible Osborn starts the season there, but don't be surprised if Addison starts seeing more snaps as the season goes on.
The Vikings will have receiver battles further down the roster, too. Neither Jalen Reagor nor Brandon Powell is likely to see significant playing time on offense, but both provide value as punt returners. Speedster Jalen Nailor could see some play on returns as well, and is younger with more upside than Reagor or Powell.
Undrafted rookies Cephus Johnson III and Garett Maag are long shots to even make the roster, but both provide a body type at receiver that the Vikings are currently lacking. Johnson is 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, while Maag is 6-foot-4 and 206. With the Vikings' top three receivers all 6-foot-1 or shorter, a bigger bodied receiver could add a new dimension to the Vikings' offense.