Report: Jets, 49ers, Vikings eyeing WR help via trade

Three NFL teams that enjoyed varying degrees of success in the 2024 campaign are reportedly on the lookout for help at wide receiver. Per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings are eyeing the trade market for players at the position.

Of the three teams mentioned, the Jets are the squad that’s probably most in need of a talented wide receiver to bolster its offensive attack. New York had the worst record of those three teams a season ago, and only seven squads in the entire league scored fewer points per game. New York does have Garrett Wilson and added some receivers this offseason via the draft and free agency, but acquiring an impact piece via trade would likely go a long way.

Comparatively, the Vikings seem to have a less dire need for a wide receiver right now. Minnesota has long employed one of the most talented players at the position in the league in Justin Jefferson. Jefferson has totaled more than 1,000 receiving yards in every one of his five seasons at the highest level, and he finished with the second-most receiving yards of any player in the league last season with 1,533.

While the Jets seem to be in great need of a receiver and the Vikings theoretically could do without adding another one, the 49ers are maybe somewhere in the middle. It’s true that Deebo Samuel is no longer a member of the team after being a key piece for San Francisco for years, but the team also has an elite tight end in George Kittle along with some capable receivers like Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk.

The concern for teams like the Vikings and 49ers is that they are dealing with some availability issues at the receiver position heading into the season, certainly increasing the appeal of making a move via trade. With that in mind, only time will tell which of the three teams mentioned by Russini will go out and acquire some wide receiver help. It’s possible that all of them will. It’s also possible that none of them will.