Tai Felton didn’t give the Vikings much to work with as a rookie, but training camp is starting to look like a different story.
The second-year wideout arrived in 2026 with plenty to prove after a quiet first season in Minnesota. Drafted 102nd overall out of Maryland last year, Felton managed just three catches for 25 receiving yards and a pair of first downs across 17 games. He also averaged only 2.7 offensive snaps per game, which left his place in the receiver hierarchy pretty murky heading into the summer.
So far, though, he’s made a point of changing that conversation.
Felton was active throughout Monday afternoon’s practice, and the highlight came on a one-handed catch in the back of the end zone that the Vikings’ social media team caught on camera.
One-handed work 😤@Taifelton pic.twitter.com/xtEL8YbK9o
He kept rolling on Tuesday, even with practice shifting mostly to walkthrough work. AtoZ Sports’ Tyler Forness said the 6-foot-1 receiver came down with another “really nice” end-zone grab, a sign that the momentum hasn’t faded.
That matters for a Vikings offense that needs more life through the air. In 2025, Minnesota averaged 263.6 passing yards per game, which ranked 29th, and general manager Nolan Teasley responded by bringing in quarterback Kyler Murray and WR Jauan Jennings to help fix the problem.
The Vikings would gladly welcome Felton into that mix, too.
Justin Jefferson remains the clear WR1, but everything behind him is up for grabs. Jordan Addison is the de facto WR2, yet his 2025 numbers were down across the board with career lows in catches (42), receiving yards (610), and touchdowns (3). Jennings brings a recent nine-touchdown season with him, but his 11.7 yards per catch and 7.1 yards per target were both career lows.
That leaves room for Felton if he can keep stacking days like this one. He showed what he could do at Maryland with a 96-1,124-9 line over 12 games in his final college season, good enough to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors. If that version of Felton starts showing up again, the Vikings could have a real reason to move him off special teams and into a bigger role in Wes Phillips’s offense.
There’s also a practical side to this. Minnesota can’t count on perfect health in the receiver room, and last season made that clear.
Jefferson, Felton, and Jalen Nailor, who is now with the Raiders, were the only wideouts to appear in all 17 games. Addison missed three games because of a suspension, while Jennings missed two with the 49ers due to injury and still hasn’t played a full season in five years.
Felton’s first year may have looked like a disappointment, but he’s still early in his NFL journey. Right now, the important part is simple: he’s showing up, making plays, and giving the Vikings something to believe in. If he keeps this up, his camp buzz could turn into a much bigger role when the games start counting.
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