The Vikings wasted no time in getting rid of one of the goats of Sunday’s tie-that-feels-like-a-loss at Lambeau Field. But with kicker Daniel Carlson gone, receiver Laquon Treadwell remains.
The status of the 2016 first-round pick as the No. 3 receiver should be in danger, given that Treadwell had multiple key drops again on Sunday, including one that squirted through his hands late in the fourth quarter, resulting in an interception that allowed the Packers to push the margin to eight, forcing the final, game-tying drive.
The fact that Treadwell had been clinging to the No. 3 spot behind Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen (or Thielen and Diggs) speaks to depth issues that arise when a team pays out big contracts to multiple key players on both sides of the ball. If either Diggs or Thielen get injured, the Vikings will have a mess at the receiver position.
So why not just cut Treadwell? At one level, they Vikings probably still hope to justify the decision to draft him. Then there’s the fact that his contract is guaranteed for 2018, keeping the Vikings on the hook for the full amount of his $1.35 million salary, whether he’s on the team or not.
Regardless, the addition of Aldrick Robinson shows that the Vikings hope to upgrade at the position. The fact that they added someone who could be had for a one-year minimum deal underscores the reality that they lack the financial flexibility to afford a luxury like Dez Bryant, who surely would otherwise be at the top of their list of potential free-agent acquisitions.