Getty

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings greets Lucky Jackson #81 prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

The Minnesota Vikings signed WR Lucky Jackson in 2023 after his stints in the CFL and XFL.

Jackson went to school at Western Kentucky, about two hours from his hometown of Lexington. At Western Kentucky, Jackson had a nice little four-year career. Check out his totals from his collegiate run.

• 51 games played
• 210 receptions
• 2,691 receiving yards
• 13 receiving touchdowns
• 7 rushes
• 65 rushing yards
• 1 rushing touchdown

In 2019, Jackson won MVP of The Responder Bowl, as well as received First-Team All-CUSA honors. He was on the 2023 All-XFL team, and won a championship with the Louisville Kings in the UFL in 2026.

Jackson stayed with the Vikings for about two years through multiple waives and practice squad contracts. His time with the team officially came to an end in late 2025. Jackson then signed with the Louisville Kings of the UFL in early 2026.

Now that the UFL season has come to a close, Jackson is getting another shot for a rival NFC North squad.

Vikings See Former WR Lucky Jackson Sign With the Detroit Lions

Adam Patrick of The Viking Age wrote on former Vikings WR Lucky Jackson signing with the Detroit Lions.

“After spending most of the 2025 NFL season without a team, Jackson took his talents back to the developmental level and signed with the Louisville Kings this past February. It turned out to be a great decision, as Jackson finished the 2026 UFL campaign with 36 catches for 430 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games (including the playoffs).

His performance was clearly good enough to convince the Lions to sign him, and now, for the fourth year in a row, he’ll get to see if he can finally enter a season as an active member of an NFL roster.”

Jackson could be a great comeback story for the NFL. The rough thing for Vikings fans if that happens is that it would have to be with the Detroit Lions. Minnesota is probably fine with this, however. There’s not much to be jealous of when your starting receiver trio consists of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings.

Insider Shares Big J.J. McCarthy Development

Alec Lewis of The Athletic joined Kevin Seifert and Matthew Coller for a “Beat Writers Roundtable” on the Vikings’ YouTube channel. Lewis shared some promising updates on J.J. McCarthy thus far through the 2026 offseason.

“I would say this as far as JJ McCarthy. I do feel like there has been a level of consistency and accuracy especially when you’re thinking like 20 yards and in throughout the five practices that we’ve been out here. And I say that because there is a lot of context missing with every one of these practices

.

You’d love to see him connect more down the field probably and potentially we’ll see that in training camp. But I do think just the fundamentals, the smoothness of his mechanics, that stuff has stood out and his understanding of the system I think stands out.”

J.J. McCarthy needed to make it clear and obvious that he is improving, and it sounds like he has been. Many assume Kyler Murray will be the starter. However, if the arrow keeps pointing up for McCarthy, then things could get quite interesting in training camp.