Even More Vikings Receivers Stuff

I just can't stay away from this topic.

The Minnesota Vikings team that suited up to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2012 season opener included these receivers:

Percy Harvin
Michael Jenkins
Devin Aromashadu
Stephen Burton

That's very thin. Not one of those receivers is on the current roster. I can't believe the complete turnover of the Vikings receiver position in a single year. It's obvious that changes needed to be made but it's rare that so many are actually made. When the Vikings visit Detroit on Sunday, they will have these receivers on the field:

Greg Jennings
Jerome Simpson
Jarius Wright
Cordarrelle Patterson
Joe Webb

To be fair, Simpson, Wright, and Webb were actually with the Vikings last year. Simpson was kicking off a suspension when the Vikings were kicking off their season. Wright was injured. Webb was playing quarterback. Of the newbies, Jennings was starting his injury-plagued, final season in Green Bay. Patterson was playing his only season at the University of Tennessee. Now, they are all together. I like this group. Wright, Patterson, and Webb are starting their first full season as NFL receivers. Simpson has had some highlights in the NFL but has yet to truly establish himself as a reliable receiver. Jennings is trying to put the injuries behind and return to the elite status that he once held. Despite all of that, I like this group of receivers. Perhaps because this group is not the group from last year. I like the athletic ability and the potential. Jennings is the leader, the established veteran. He's an outstanding route runner with terrific hands. Simpson has to make the plays in games that he routinely makes in practice. Wright was an immediate deep threat when he was finally healthy last year. He's a smaller, quicker receiver that is often pigeon-holed as a slot receiver. I think that he can make plays from the outside as well. Patterson has the talent to be a superstar. Despite being 6'3" and 220 lbs, he moves like a smaller receiver. I've never seen a receiver his size with the movement skill that he has. The Vikings can run many of the plays with him that they ran with Harvin. Lining up in the backfield, reverses, bubble screens, anyway to get the ball in his hands and let him run. Webb is an unbelievable athlete but he's still learning the receiver position. With his size and leaping ability, the Vikings probably have a package of plays that take advantage of those skills. His role should expand as he becomes more comfortable with the position. Next year, maybe even later this season, Greg Childs will hopefully return from his torn patellar tendon injuries and make this group even better. Likely at the expense of Simpson.

Last year, the Vikings had so little talent at receiver outside of Percy Harvin. It was really pretty sad. Now, there is some talent. There's actually considerable talent. There's also a lot of inexperience. That's what made the addition of Jennings in free agency so important. The Vikings had to get young quarteback Christian Ponder some help. I think that they succeeded.