Former Minnesota Vikings first-round pick Laquon Treadwell was a healthy scratch for last week’s win over the Detroit Lions. It was the first time since his rookie season that he had missed a game for any reason.
According to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press, Treadwell is hoping that the deactivation is a one-time occurrence.
“It was a business decision,” Treadwell said. “They felt that was best for the team, and we got the win, and that’s all that matters. (The coaches) definitely stressed it was a weekly thing, a one-game thing, and told me to continue to prepare like I was going to play and I just go from there.”
Minnesota elected to use Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, Aldrick Robinson, Chad Beebe and Brandon Zylstra as their five active receivers against the Lions instead. Head coach Mike Zimmer said the decision was based on matchups. However, Treadwell had played just 22 snaps the previous week against Miami - tying a season low - in Kevin Stefanski’s first game as offensive coordinator. He did not record a catch for the first time all season.
“I’ve been doing everything I possibly can to be active, to be acclimated, to be featured in the offense,” Treadwell said. “There’s nothing much more I can do besides continue to prepare and do what I do every week and just hopefully I’ll be active.”
Treadwell has struggled to break out and become a reliable threat during his first three seasons in the NFL. Adam Thielen in 2018 alone will record more than double the catches and yards Treadwell has managed to compile in his three seasons combined in Minnesota. Thielen has caught 110 passes for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns this season the Vikings. Treadwell has just 55 catches for 510 yards and one touchdowns in his three seasons.
He was the 23rd overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He has career-highs in all categories this year with 34 receptions for 295 yards and his first career touchdown. Nevertheless, the Vikings certainly hope they would have been able to get more out of their former top pick by year three of his career.
The Vikings will need to make a decision whether to pick up the fifth-year option on Treadwell’s rookie contract this offseason. Given his struggles to produce through three seasons and being deactivated last week, that would seem unlikely.