For some reason, a Vikings player who will not have much say in the outcome of Sunday’s game decided he should guarantee a win over the Lions.
It’s fine to raise and eyebrow at the idea a 5-7 Detroit Lions team is favored against a 10-2 Minnesota Vikings team this week. Vikings players can even feel disrespected, without stretching their imaginations.
Players make bold declarations and guarantees all the time. But usually it’s a player who will play a lot and have a big say in the outcome of a game. That’s not the case this week in Vikings-land, as a player has guaranteed a win over the Lions on Sunday.
Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press passed along some locker room sentiment from a Vikings wide receiver on Wednesday. But it’s not the one you’re thinking of, or the other one who also may come to mind. Those guys probably know a little better.
Jalen Reagor has guaranteed #Vikings to win at Detroit. I asked him about possibly clinching division & he said “We’re going to win” I asked him if that's a guarantee: "Yes'' He added “I’m not going to say nothing about if we might win. I’m..expecting us to win..I have no doubts"
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) December 7, 2022
Jalen Reagor writes a guarantee check he’ll have no say in cashing
To this point in his career, Reagor’s calling card is being drafted the pick before star teammate Justin Jefferson in the 2020 draft. He did so little in his first two seasons that the Philadelphia Eagles traded him to the Vikings for two late draft picks late in this year’s preseason.
There’s a case for Reagor to have a bigger role in Minnesota’s offense, given he’s averaging 14.5 yards per catch with a touchdown on his six receptions this season and he’s had a 25-plus yard catch in back-to-back games. He has worked more as a punt returner, with 19 returns for 134 yards so far. But 22 of his 40 offensive snaps all season have come in the Vikings’ two losses, when garbage time was in play. That says it all.
Reagor has given the Lions a bit of bulletin board material. Too bad he won’t be on the field enough come Sunday to really help the Vikings pay off his guarantee.