The Minnesota Vikings expect wide receiver Jauan Jennings back in the lineup Sunday when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, giving the offense two key pieces it lacked a week earlier.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that quarterback Kyler Murray has returned to practice and is slated to start in Tampa Bay after clearing concussion protocol. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported that Jennings also is expected to play after sitting out Week 2.
“In other news, receiver Jauan Jennings is expected to return after missing last week because of a death in family,” Seifert wrote Monday.
Jennings signed a one-year contract with Minnesota worth $8 million before the season, with incentives that could raise the value. He has yet to record a catch as a Viking. He was targeted once in the Week 1 win over Green Bay and then missed the rain-soaked nine-point showing at Chicago.
The Vikings managed just nine points of offense against the Bears at Soldier Field. That output is unlikely to be enough against Tampa Bay, even if the Buccaneers are still looking for their first win.
O’Connell’s offense has Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison as the featured receivers. Jennings was signed to give the group a physical third option after Jalen Nailor left in free agency.
Shortly after joining the team, Jennings compared the Minnesota receiver trio to a famous NBA group.
“It’s awesome. I feel like Kevin Durant on the Warriors,” Jennings said in May. “Big 3, man, you know what I’m saying? It’s just a lot of talent over here, just top bottom, head down, a lot of talent.”
The comparison has not yet shown up in the box score. Addison was held without a catch in Week 1 and finished with two receptions for 21 yards against Chicago. Jefferson had eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns versus Green Bay, then added three catches for 55 yards on six targets from Carson Wentz in Week 2.
Murray’s first start with Minnesota lasted only a few plays. He completed three of five passes for 18 yards with an interception before exiting with a concussion in the first quarter against the Packers. He also ran twice for nine yards.
O’Connell said he wants cleaner decision-making from Murray in his return.
“Going back to that interception, that’s a great example of, ‘We can’t compound somebody else’s error.’ We opened up the A-gap. That is not how we would ever play that down if we gave our offense 100 snaps. That should never happen, a 100 out of a 100,” O’Connell explained.
“And it did on that one, and then it compounded with the turnover. We haven’t turned it over since, and my expectation is we’re going to protect the football and play our role offensively while continuing to grow and look like the offense we know that we can become.”
With Murray and Jennings both expected to be available, Minnesota will have its primary quarterback and its full starting receiver group on the field together for the first time this season. Weather and health permitting, Sunday offers the first real look at the unit the Vikings assembled in the offseason.
Jennings, a former seventh-round pick out of Tennessee, spent his first six NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Last year he caught 55 passes for 643 yards and nine touchdowns. Minnesota is counting on that physical style to complement Jefferson’s production and Addison’s speed.
The Vikings are 2-0 heading into Week 3. They beat Green Bay at home and then survived a low-scoring road game in Chicago with Wentz at quarterback. Tampa Bay is 0-2 after a loss to Cleveland.
A healthier and more complete Minnesota offense would change the look of the matchup. Jennings’ expected return is the latest piece of that picture after he handled a family matter last week.
O’Connell has emphasized ball security and growth as the season moves forward. Getting Murray and Jennings back on the same field is the first step toward seeing whether the offseason additions can produce more than the nine points scored in Week 2.
