Vikings Say Goodbye to a Young Receiver

Mackensie Alexander bends down to pick up his helmet on the sideline before a Vikings game against the Bears. — Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander bends down to retrieve his helmet before kickoff against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 29, 2019, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Alexander prepared alongside teammates ahead of the NFC North matchup as Minnesota closed the regular season with a divisional contest against Chicago at home. Mandatory Credit: Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports.

On Sunday, Jeshaun Jones did some good things on special teams, looking fast and physical on several occasions. Apparently, that wasn’t enough to secure his spot on the 53-man roster.

The update about the Vikings saying goodbye to the depth receiver arrived courtesy of the team’s social media: “The #Vikings have waived WR Jeshaun Jones.” Due to needing to travel through waivers, Jones could get scooped up by any of the other 31 NFL teams. Failing to do so will mean being a candidate to re-add, albeit on the practice squad.

Vikings Say Goodbye to Jeshaun Jones

Mr. Jones has already had to fly through some turbulence in 2026. The Week 4 game was the first time he was eligible to play due to being suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

CBS Sports covered the news back in August while sending along some background details on the NFL’s policy, explaining, “All NFL players receive an annual test for the seven types of drugs the league classifies as substances of abuse: Cocaine, synthetic marijuana, amphetamines, opiates, opioids, PCP and MDMA. Players who are entered into the substance abuse program can also be tested up to 10 times per month.”

NFL: Las Vegas Raiders at Minnesota Vikings — Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jeshaun Jones (82) warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

Originally, Jones got to the Twin Cities in 2024 after getting scooped up as an undrafted free agent. Former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah guaranteed a robust $235,000 (OTC), suggesting there was competition for the receiver’s services. Minnesota was willing to drain the ATM; the implication is that Jones was viewed as a priority.

He has since shown promise in the preseason but hasn’t yet made the final roster. Every so often, Jones shows off an acrobatic catch in the preseason while then doing something special on special teams. Add it up, though, and it hasn’t been enough to demand a coveted roster spot. He has been a Vikings practice squad player.

All eyes are on WR1 Justin Jefferson going into Week 5. He has been working through an ankle injury and is said to be pretty close to a return. Getting him back onto the field would make life considerably easier for basically everybody associated with the Minnesota Vikings.

Otherwise, the man names to know are Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, the latter of whom has been working through a disappointing debut season in Minnesota. Kyler Murray needs to continue working into a groove so that he can start feeding all of the hungry mouths out at receiver.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jeshaun Jones celebrates after a first-down catch against the Tennessee Titans during a preseason game. — Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jeshaun Jones celebrates a first-down reception during first-half action against the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 22, 2025, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Jones continued making his case for a roster spot by contributing in the passing game as Minnesota evaluated depth options and young talent during the preseason matchup. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.

Back in the summer, I asked Jefferson about the receivers who most caught his eye for offseasosn improvement. A name he highlighted was Jeshaun Jones, insisting that he has been working on his game and getting better.

Maybe Jones can make Jefferson look prophetic if he’s able to snag a practice squad job before then being active for games. He can tackle, return, and make the occasional catch, so there’s some value for the team.

Jones is 26.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.