EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings post-draft revisitation to the free agency market resulted in Minnesota agreeing to terms with veteran receiver Jauan Jennings Thursday evening.
Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell participated in a media session following Friday's rookie minicamp practice and included his thoughts on adding Jennings to a receivers room that includes established Vikings headliners Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
The Vikings hosted Jennings for a "great" visit during the week that followed the 2026 NFL Draft.
"I got to spend time with him, and he's a player that I've always, from afar, had a lot of respect for," O'Connell said. "He obviously brings size to the room, brings a level of play style and physicality. The guy loves playing football, and also the catch radius and the 'competes' and the production that he's had. So to be able to sign a player after a pretty patient approach, allowing ourselves to have some opportunity in the draft if it came to us, but always with a real mindset on Jauan being a target, just want to highlight the job they did in getting that done. We'll be excited and expecting him hopefully to arrive on Sunday, and get to it on Monday, which will be big for us."
O'Connell said Jennings will provide a unique aspect to the receivers room and enable Minnesota to continue to move receivers around the formation to manipulate coverages and matchups.
"[As the third receiver] you've got to be able to be a slot receiver, you've got to be able to do some of those jobs on the early downs that we ask for that player," O'Connell said. "You've got to be able to line up on third down and you're one of the few players that might be single covered in man-to-man. You've got to be able to win, you got to be able to make contested catches, and you've got to be able to do something with it after the catches. Jauan does all those things.
"I think Vikings fans are going to fall in love with watching this guy play football, his passion and the physicality that he plays with," O'Connell added.
Here are two more takeaways:
1. Leading up front
The Vikings defensive and offensive lines are under new leadership this season. Minnesota hired Ryan Nielsen on the defensive line and promoted Keith Carter after Chris Kuper's contract expired.
O'Connell said both coaches are already making an impact long before the team sports full pads at training camp.
"Such a teacher," O'Connell said when asked directly about Nielsen. "If you are around him long enough and you get to watch him work, you just see a guy that is teaching the smallest of details to equal great gains, helping guys play with more power, helping guys that need to play a certain kind of way. Maybe they're a player that is good on the move and kind of creating edges via our scheme, but we're going to need you to also play to a higher standard as a needed gap defender. He knows how to do that. He knows how to kind of get the best out of players and do it in a way where you see these guys respond to it. It's been awesome to see.
"Keith Carter's been the same way with the line. Our o-line had a phenomenal first week. It was great to see those guys getting after it and working. That's the one thing about both those guys is they cherish their time on the grass with their players, and they're going to maximize it."
2. GM search process
The Vikings launched their search for their next general manager. Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski was tasked with leading the scouting department and coaching staff through free agency and the draft when Minnesota parted with former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The Vikings are opting to not comment publicly on any candidates so far.
O'Connell was asked for his perspective on the GM search and where he'd like the process to go.
"First and foremost, just out of respect for the process, I would defer everything to ownership and [Chief Operating Officer] Andrew Miller as that process is ongoing," O'Connell said. "I'm excited for potentially forming that relationship, going through the process. And as much of a part as ownership and Andrew want me to be a part of it, I will. And very much looking forward to a great outcome, which I know we're going to get.
"In whatever capacity that ownership and Andrew have for me as their plan, that's what I'm going to do," he added.
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