Aug 30, 2025; School Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins large receiver Shaleak Knotts (4) celebrates after scoring a landing in the course of the first half towards the Florida Atlantic Owls at SECU Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Photographs.
Proper after the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings signed about 20 undrafted free brokers, a regular course of for many NFL groups. However three weeks later, Minnesota is already saying goodbye to at least one rookie: Maryland large receiver Shaleak Knotts.
Minnesota is shuffling the underside of its large receiver depth chart.
Knotts could also be an choice for a roster spot down the highway, but with organized staff actions per week away, he’s not within the purple plans for 2026.
Terrill Davis Will get the Summer time Audition, Not Knotts
Davis appears to have taken Knotts’s spot.
Maryland Terrapins large receiver Shaleak Knotts (4) runs after the catch in the course of the second quarter towards the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 11, 2023, in Lincoln. Knotts labored beneath protection and tried to create additional yardage as Maryland’s offense battled Nebraska throughout a bodily Large Ten matchup late within the common season schedule. Obligatory Credit score: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Knotts Out in MIN
It was a brief keep for Knotts within the Twin Cities. NBC Sports activities‘ Josh Alper wrote Tuesday, “The Vikings opened up a spot on their 90-man roster on Tuesday. The team announced that they have waived wide receiver Shaleak Knotts and they did not make a corresponding addition to fill out their active roster.”
“Knotts signed with the Vikings after going undrafted last month. He appeared in 43 games for Maryland over the last four seasons and caught 67 passes for 963 yards and seven touchdowns while playing for the Terrapins.”
Had the rookie remained on the Vikings’ roster, he possible would’ve battled for a apply squad spot this summer time.
The Revised WR Unit
Haven’t any worry: the Vikings don’t have a scarcity of summer time large receivers after the Knotts subtraction. They’ll be simply nice.
Sans Knotts, right here’s the up to date WR corps for Kevin O’Connell’s staff:
WR1: Justin JeffersonWR2: Jordan AddisonWR3: Jauan JenningsWR4: Tai FeltonWR5: Myles PriceWR6: Jeshaun JonesWR7: Dontae FlemingWR8: Joaquin DavisWR9: Dillon BellWR10: Luke WysongWR11: Marcus SandersWR12: Terrill Davis
By late August, that group will shrink to 5 or 6 males, and Knotts confronted an uphill battle to make a dent within the first place.
The Biography on Knotts
Knotts initiatives as a traditional undrafted prospect with one clear energy: vertical manufacturing. The Maryland large receiver waited his flip in faculty, then busted out in 2025 with 44 catches for 717 yards and 6 touchdowns, main the Terrapins in each receiving yards and landing receptions. His 16.3 yards per reception underscored his capability to stretch the sphere, win downfield, and create large performs.
Maryland Terrapins large receiver Shaleak Knotts (4) blocks Nebraska defensive again Andrew Marshall (10) in the course of the first half at SECU Stadium on Oct. 11, 2025, in School Park. Knotts helped spring working again Nolan Ray on a speeding try as Maryland leaned on its perimeter blocking and floor recreation towards the Cornhuskers in Large Ten motion. Obligatory Credit score: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Photographs.
At 6’3″ and 194 kilos, Knotts possesses ultimate outside-receiver measurement. His background as a former four-star recruit, coupled together with his multi-sport highschool profession (basketball and monitor), highlights his spectacular physique management and ball-tracking expertise.
The first concern lies in his lack of polish. Knotts didn’t absolutely emerge till his ultimate faculty season, suggesting the Vikings had been banking on his uncooked expertise, late improvement, and potential in a particular position, reasonably than a prolonged monitor report of dominance. He profiled as a apply squad candidate who might make an influence by excelling on deep routes, contested catches, and particular groups.
Now, after all, Knotts will hope one other staff offers him a summer time audition.
Davis in His Spot
Most consider that as a result of Minnesota signed Davis a couple of days in the past, he swiped Knotts’s spot. Davis embodies the traditional developmental large receiver prospect for the Vikings: productive, athletic sufficient, however possible a mission requiring extra time than followers would possibly desire.
Oklahoma State Cowboys large receiver Terrill Davis (2) carries the soccer in the course of the first half at Boone Pickens Stadium on Sep. 27, 2025, in Stillwater. Davis showcased his versatility and open-field capability as Oklahoma State included the receiver into offensive packages designed to create explosive performs towards opposing defenders throughout convention motion at residence. Obligatory Credit score: William Purnell-Imagn Photographs.
He started his collegiate profession by dominating Division II defenses at Central Oklahoma, the place he amassed 109 catches, 1,609 yards, and 15 touchdowns. Upon shifting to the Large 12 with Oklahoma State, he continued to contribute, catching 29 passes for 373 yards and demonstrating his capability to adapt to a better stage of competitors.
Davis’s enchantment is obvious: he possesses ample velocity to threaten defenses vertically, sturdy fingers for troublesome downfield throws, and the leaping capability to win contested catches. Whereas these traits are sometimes praised in movie opinions, a recurring concern is occasional drops on simpler targets.
Standing 5-foot-11 and 195 kilos with a reported 4.65 forty-yard sprint, Davis undoubtedly isn’t a burner, however he clearly has sufficient purposeful velocity and juice to be an element.
Davis, like Knotts, initiatives extra as a apply squad candidate with respectable upside than somebody slated for quick offensive snaps.
It’s additionally value noting that Minnesota’s roster may very well be ripe for an upstart UDFA to emerge at large receiver. The present WR5, Myles Value, is a kick and punt returner and was hardly used on offense as a rookie final yr. That might bode effectively for Davis or one in every of his undrafted friends.
The subsequent step within the Vikings’ offseason is organized staff actions (OTAs), which kick off in six days.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
