The Minnesota Vikings’ 23-13 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 11 last year might have been their least-memorable game from last season.
The Los Angeles Rams had facemasked Sam Darnold at the end of their regular-season win over Minnesota, and the Indianapolis Colts had nearly removed his head. Still, his biggest complaint might be that Jalen Nailor had two drops against Tennessee, including a difficult but catchable ball in the end zone.
Nailor had his most productive season last year, catching 28 balls on 42 targets for 414 yards. According to PFF, he only had four drops. However, they all seemed to come on crucial plays.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Nailor is capable of breaking off explosive plays. The player they call “Speedy” ran a 4.5 40 at the combine and can disappear from defenders in a flash. However, he needed to become a more precise route-runner and catch passes in traffic to make an impact in the NFL.
Few players suffer a hand injury in training camp and become more sure-handed. However, Nailor has eight catches for 98 yards and no drops in Minnesota’s first four games. After fracturing his left hand in camp, Nailor has been a crucial outlet for J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz while Jordan Addison served his three-game suspension.
Nailor’s conundrum is that he must play more to improve upon his shortcomings. However, as a sixth-round pick, he has less leeway to make mistakes in games than someone who went earlier in the draft. Also, players who err in games typically don’t get more playing time.
Like many receivers, Nailor uses a Jugs machine at practice. However, his issue is that he had to learn to focus on the ball, knowing that he was about to take a hit. At Michigan State, Nailor used his 4.5 speed to shake defenders. However, defenders close in on him quicker in the NFL, leading to more collisions while he’s making the catch.
Nailor also had to become a more technical route-runner in the pros. He focused on his actions at the stem of the route, knowing that the proper movement could create enough separation to provide a target for his quarterbacks.
He also improved at in-breaking routes and learned how to watch film in a way that allowed him to see the game like a quarterback. In doing so, Nailor could better present himself to Minnesota’s signal-callers, making them more likely to target him.
Minnesota’s quarterback carousel has complicated matters for Nailor, 26. He entered the league in 2022, which was Kirk Cousins’ final full season with the Vikings. Cousins ruptured his Achilles tendon in the middle of the 2023 season. Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs, and Nick Mullens played in his absence, and Sam Darnold started for the Vikings last year.
Add in J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz this year, and Nailor has played with seven quarterbacks in four years with the Vikings. He says he mainly develops chemistry with quarterbacks in live action.
Like any other receiver, Nailor practices extensively with each quarterback and communicates with them about what each side is seeing. Still, there is nothing like trying to make a connection in a game, and Nailor can only get playing time if he’s a reliable outlet.
Nailor played in 15 games as a rookie. However, Cousins only targeted him 13 times, and he had nine receptions for 179 yards. In 2023, Nailor only played in six games and had three catches on six targets for 29 yards.
Minnesota’s quarterback carousel two years ago affected Nailor’s production. So did the hamstring injury he sustained in Week 7 and his concussion in Week 15. However, he had to learn O’Connell’s complicated scheme after playing in a no-huddle offense under Mel Tucker.
In East Landsing, the coaching staff relayed play calls from the sideline. Conversely, O’Connell has his quarterbacks read two complicated plays in the huddle. One is a primary call, and the other is a secondary option the quarterback can choose depending on the defense he’s facing.
O’Connell’s play calls act as instructions for each player. Still, there’s a lot to process for a green receiver who’s learning to play at NFL speed. Like many of Minnesota’s players, Nailor learned the concepts behind the plays, allowing him to pick up on a verbal cue in the play call instead of translating it as the huddle breaks.
As a result, he can play at game speed and focus on getting open. It’s allowed him to play a prominent role on offense with Addison out. McCarthy and Wentz have targeted him 17 times in Minnesota’s first four games, and he’s nearly produced 100 yards of offense.
Best yet? He hasn’t dropped a ball.
Not bad for a player who broke his hand in training camp.
