Inside The Vikings

Vikings depth WR, special teams ace Trent Sherfield signs with Broncos

Trent Sherfield, a key special teams player for the Vikings last season, got a solid contract from Denver.
Will Ragatz|
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. (11) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium.
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. (11) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Vikings

Former Vikings wide receiver and special teams standout Trent Sherfield is signing a two-year deal with the Broncos, FOX's Jordan Schultz reported on Tuesday night.

Sherfield, 29, is joining a new team for the fifth consecutive offseason. It's really a two-year, $6 million deal (with $2 million available in incentives), which is nonetheless a decent raise for the journeyman veteran, who spent last year on a $1.8 million contract with the Vikings.

This isn't a totally insignificant loss for Minnesota. Sherfield played just 192 offensive snaps last season and caught a total of ten passes (and one touchdown), but he was probably their best run-blocking wide receiver. More notably, he played 234 special teams snaps and led the Vikings in tackles (8) and PFF grade (85.8) in that phase of the game. Sherfield is an outstanding gunner who was nearly voted to the Pro Bowl as a special teams player.

In Denver, Sherfield may have an opportunity to play at bit more on offense in addition to reprising his important role in the game's third phase. That contract suggests he'll likely be in the Broncos' rotation at wide receiver along with Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, and any other possible additions.

The Vikings will need to make an addition or two to round out their wide receiver room this offseason. They've got Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jalen Nailor under contract, as well as a few young guys on future deals, but they've now lost Sherfield and Trishton Jackson from last year's team. Brandon Powell remains a free agent. Is Cooper Kupp in the mix to be a marquee addition to that room?

Sherfield was originally an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt who spent the first three years of his career with the Cardinals. Since then, he's had one-year stints with the 49ers, Dolphins, Bills, and Vikings. His best year as a receiver came with Miami in 2022, when he caught 30 passes for 417 yards and two touchdowns.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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