Vikings UDFA profile: Texas WR Silas Bolden is a dynamic return threat

Silas Bolden is TINY for an NFL wide receiver. He's listed at 5'8", but his official measurements put him closer to 5'7". And unlike teammate Rondale Moore, who packs 180 pounds onto a 5'7" frame, Bolden tips the scales at just over 160. He's also not an incredible athlete to make up for the lack of size.

Despite those glaring shortcomings, the Vikings guaranteed Bolden over $200K to sign him as an undrafted free agent. Why? Because of his abilities as a return specialist. Bolden was the punt returner for a very good Texas team last year, and he took one to the house against Arizona State in the College Football Playoffs. He also scored a touchdown on a punt return during his fourth and final season at Oregon State.

Bolden averaged 12.5 yards per punt return in his collegiate career. He also averaged close to 25 yards on kickoff returns, including a conference-best 27.2 mark in 2023. Those skills could make him valuable to the Vikings, who were dead last in punt return average last season (6.8 yards) and 31st in kick return average (24.4).

The Vikings haven't had much of a kick return threat since the first couple years of Kene Nwangwu's career. They only had 14 kickoff returns all of last season during the first year of the dynamic kickoff, but that number should jump in 2025 with touchbacks now set to be placed at the 35 yard-line. The Vikings haven't scored a punt return touchdown since Marcus Sherels did it for the fifth time in his career in 2016. Bolden's path to a 53-man roster spot is all about the return game, where he figures to compete with players like Isaiah Rodgers, Moore, Jalen Nailor, and Ty Chandler.

It's worth noting that he had a solid college career as a receiver, as well. He wasn't used much by Texas last year, but Bolden had 830 yards and 7 touchdowns on 63 touches at Oregon State in '23. He had 103 total receptions in college and scored 15 touchdowns from scrimmage, five of them as a rusher. If Bolden gets his foot in the NFL door as a returner, he could potentially wind up with a gadget role on offense as well.

Vikings estimated wide receiver depth chart

• Justin Jefferson
• Jordan Addison
• Jalen Nailor
• Tai Felton (rookie)
• Rondale Moore
• Tim Jones
• Jeshaun Jones
• Thayer Thomas
• Lucky Jackson
• Silas Bolden (rookie)
• Dontae Fleming (rookie)
• Myles Price (rookie)
• Robert Lewis (rookie)