Vikings Could Be Potential Free Agency Fit For Robert Woods

The 2022 season was a difficult one for wide receiver Robert Woods. Not only was he returning to the field from an ACL tear, but he was also learning a new offense. After spending five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, Robert Woods was traded to the Tennessee Titans during the 2022 offseason.

Robert Woods was a pretty big pickup by the Titans. The team hoped he would help fill the void atop the pecking order for targets after A.J. Brown was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. While it was certainly encouraging that he played in all 17 games coming off the injury, Tennessee’s passing game was anemic.

The Titans finished 30th in attempts and yards and 28th in touchdowns. Robert Woods did end up leading the team with 53 receptions and 527 yards, adding two touchdowns. That was the lowest yardage amount in a season in his career. His yards per reception and yards per game were also career lows.

Ultimately, that production wasn’t enough for him to keep his roster spot. Earlier this week it was reported that the Titans will be moving on from Robert Woods as he was one of three players released.

Despite the rough season, there should be a market for Robert Woods this offseason. The wide receiver free agent class isn’t loaded with talent, so he could be one of the first calls for any team looking for a steady veteran addition.

One team that could make a run at him is the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota could shake things up and release Adam Thielen as his production is no longer matching his contract. A cap hit of nearly $20 million is a lot for a player who hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2018.

There is also some familiarity with the coaching staff. Robert Woods and Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell were together for two seasons with the Rams. in those 25 games, Robert Woods caught 135 passes for 1,492 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Being able to bring in a player capable of replicating Thielen’s production at a fraction of the price should be enticing to the Vikings. There also wouldn’t be a ton of pressure on Robert Woods to step into a prominent role, as there was in Tennessee, as the Vikings already have a star in place with Justin Jefferson at the wide receiver spot.