Sports
New WR3 Option Becomes Available to Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings may be in the market for a WR3 in 2026 next to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and as of Thursday, Darnell Mooney is available.
Mooney offers speed and experience, and his availability arrives as Minnesota weighs WR depth this offseason.
The Atlanta Falcons dropped Mooney this week, casting him into the open market, where the man will have at least a few suitors.
Mooney’s Skill Set Could Fit Minnesota’s WR3 Role in 2026
This one makes plenty of sense.
Mooney Out in ATL
When the new league year opens on Wednesday, Mooney will be officially free to sign anywhere in the league.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote Thursday, “Add another receiver to the free agency pile. The Atlanta Falcons plan to release WR Darnell Mooney, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday, per sources informed of the situation. Mooney was set to count $18.4 million against the salary cap but had no guaranteed money left on his deal.”
“The Falcons will save $7.42 million on the cap with $11 million in dead money by releasing the wideout. The 28-year-old Mooney signed a three-year, $39 million contract in Atlanta after being a field-stretching weapon for four seasons in Chicago.”
Atlanta followed this same path with quarterback Kirk Cousins, a former Viking, so the Falcons will lose two notable offensive pieces in the 2026 offseason.
The Career Production
Mooney can ball when afforded targets in an offense. These are his numbers over the last six seasons:
2025: 32 Receptions | 443 Rec Yards | 1 TD | 72 Tgts
2024: 64 Receptions | 992 Rec Yards | 5 TD | 106 Tgts
2023: 31 Receptions | 414 Rec Yards | 1 TD | 61 Tgts
2022: 40 Receptions | 493 Rec Yards | 2 TD | 61 Tgts
2021: 81 Receptions | 1,055 Rec Yards | 4 TD | 140 Tgts
2020: 61 Receptions | 631 Rec Yards | 4 TD | 98 Tgts
If one assumes the Vikings will have a prolific passing offense in 2026 — maybe, maybe not — Mooney could feast as the third wide receiver. It’s what he does in a high-volume passing offense.
His next contract should pay him around $8 million per season, which would be within Minnesota’s slim 2026 budget.
Draft Sharks‘ Jared Smola mentioned Mooney on Thursday, “It’s certainly worth noting that Mooney suffered a shoulder injury in late July that sidelined him for a month and cost him the season opener. He missed another game in October with a hamstring injury.”
“Mooney was much better back in 2024, posting a 64-992-5 line on 106 targets. He ranked top-37 among 89 qualifying WRs in yards per target, yards per route, and PFF grade that year. And he finished WR39 in PPR points per game.”
A Would-Be WR in Minnesota
With Mooney, the 2026 Vikings WR room would look like this:
- Justin Jefferson
- Jordan Addison
- Darnell Mooney
- Tai Felton
- Myles Price
- Dontae Fleming
- Jeshaun Jones
- Joaquin Davis
Minnesota picked Felton last year from Round 3, but hardly used him on offense. It is unclear if he’ll take a year-two leap or be relegated to a special teams role. If one assumes that Felton is sitting on a breakout campaign, Mooney isn’t needed.
But if Felton is another failed draft pick courtesy of former boss Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings will need a credible WR3. It’s as simple as that.
Waiting on the Nailor Verdict
The Vikings have one giant free agency mystery in 2026: Jalen Nailor.
Reports suggest that 10 teams are circling his availability next week, and if one of those clubs pays Nailor $10 million or more per season, he probably won’t return to the Vikings. Nailor has never posted over 500 yards in a season, but this offseason, the league appears to have determined that he’s a sleeper awaiting eruption.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis noted on Nailor this week, “More than 10 teams are eyeing Vikings receiver Jalen Nailor, according to league sources. Nailor recently turned 27 and will be one of the more coveted free-agent wide receivers next week. Even though he has caught only 69 NFL passes and never reached 450 yards in a season, multiple evaluators think he has the potential to become a priority signing.”
“The Vikings don’t want to lose Nailor. The coaches — especially receivers coach Keenan McCardell — have watched him progress into one of their best developmental stories. He can absorb a complex playbook. He is a willing run blocker. He possesses vertical speed, and he displays separation ability, too.”
Minnesota can probably afford Nailor at a price point of $4 million to $8 million, but a reported four-year, $48 million deal from another team would price the Vikings out of the conversation.
Mooney is a guy Minnesota can target if Nailor leaves and Felton isn’t quite a WR3.
