|
Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen established themselves as productive receivers last season. Diggs improved on his promising 2015 rookie season. Thielen pretty much came out of nowhere. He worked from undrafted, unsigned, tryout invite to consistent playmaker. It got him a nice contract this offseason and a lot of expectations. Diggs and Thielen each exceeded 900 yards last year and both look like they're just getting started. Laquon Treadwell was a first round pick that basically had a redshirt rookie season. He was still hobbled by a brutal ankle injury that he suffered two years ago as a sophomore at Mississipi. It slowed his development and his incorporation into the offense. Another year removed from that injury and a full offseason of work will give him the opportunity to become the receiver that he was drafted to be. He has the talent and work ethic to be a difference-maker. Jarius Wright has been a solid receiving contributor since he was was drafted in 2012. He's made a lot of big catches, a lot of chain-moving big catches. That's what made his near complete absence from the Vikings offense last season a mystery. The only explanation is the roster juggling that comes with the weekly, gameday numbers game. Wright has pretty much been pigeon-holed as a slot receiver and Diggs and Thielen were getting most of those snaps. Wright was often found on the sideline. It was disappointing to see his playing time drop so sharply. He's a talented, dependable pass catcher.
If the Vikings had done nothing at the receiver position this offseason, Diggs, Thielen, Treadwell, and Wright could be a promising foundation. The Vikings did add to the position. The most eye-catching addition came on Wednesday when they signed former Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots receiver Michael Floyd. He's been on the verge of becoming one of the league's next great receivers since he was drafted with the 13th pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. A 1000-yard season in 2013 was a hint of that potential but he hasn't quite taken that big next step. Floyd's big, fast, and talented. The sort of receiver that every team wants. He was still a free agent in May because he's become an off-field gamble and that translates into an on-field question. Floyd had drinking and driving offenses in college and had another last season. That last one resulted in the Cardinals cutting him loose. He landed with the Patriots, got a ring, and then found a place in the NFL's long unemployment line. Along the way he was sentenced to 24 days in jail and 96 days of house arrest. He's still serving the latter portion of that sentence and won't be able to leave the state of Arizona until June 17. Two days after the close of the Vikings minicamp. Unless something can be worked out Floyd won't be able to join his new team until training camp. His most recent off-field misstep will likely result in further punishment from the league. The Vikings are adding a big, fast receiver with some baggage and a few questions but Minnesota could be a soft landing spot. He's from St. Paul. Born there, grew up there, starred at Cretin-Derham Hall. He has family and friends in the area. He was a college teammate of current Vikings' team leaders Kyle Rudolph and Harrison Smith at Notre Dame. He has a support structure in place. He appears to have a desire to clean up his off-the-field issues and re-energize his on-the-field performance. It could be his last chance. His contract with the Vikings is filled with incentives. It can be as little as $1.5 million and as much as $6 million. It's up to him. It's a low risk-high reward deal for the Vikings and an opportunity for Floyd. He doesn't have to be a "#1"-type receiver in Minnesota but he has the talent to do so.
Floyd wasn't the only receiver that the Vikings added this offseason. They selected Rodney Adams in the fifth round of the draft and Stacy Coley in the seventh. They weren't heavy draft day investments but neither was Diggs or Thielen. Adams and/or Coley could make immediate contributions on special teams, as returners in particular. Cordarrelle Patterson had been the best kick returner in the league for the last four seasons. He's in Oakland now. So, that spot is wide open and competition likely starts with them.
It's pretty safe to say that the Vikings top four receivers are set.
Stefon Diggs
Adam Thielen
Laquon Treadwell
Michael Floyd
Unless he stumbles in training camp or a dark horse surges from the pack, Rodney Adams should be the fifth receiver. He'll probably be given the first shot at returning kicks. Jarius Wright and Stacy Coley could be battling for the sixth spot, if the Vikings keep six receivers.
Someone from the pack could emerge. Moritz Boehringer was drafted in the sixth round last year and spent the entire season on the practice squad. The German import is so raw and the NFL-level football is still so new to him that his road is a long one. His freakish athletic skills give him a shot. There aren't many 6'4" 225lb men that can run a 4.4 forty. Isaac Fruechte has hung around the Vikings practice squad for a while. He even got some playing time at the end of last season. Mitch Matthews and Cayleb Jones were in training camps with other teams last year and get their shot with the Vikings this year. Undrafted free agent R.J. Shelton gets his first NFL shot this summer. Their odds aren't great but no one gave Adam Thielen a shot in the summer of 2013.
When Floyd signed this week many took it as a shot at Treadwell. I think those people forget that the Vikings lost Charles Johnson and Cordarrelle Patterson in free agency. There was a need at receiver and the latter round rookies didn't fill it. I see the addition of Floyd as more an addressing of the general lack of experience at the position. Wright has been around the longest and his job is far from secure. Diggs is probably the group leader and he's entering his third season and has only started 20 games. Thielen has started half that many. The Vikings had an opportunity to add a talented, veteran receiver and they took it. So many are outraged with Treadwell's lack of production as a rookie but that was due more to his health and the numbers situation than his ability. Diggs probably wouldn't have played much, if at all, as a rookie if injuries to others hadn't forced him into the lineup.
It's May. So, it's silly to project and predict. Too much can happen between now and September. But it's what we do as fans. With the emergence of Diggs and Thielen last season and the untapped potential of Treadwell the more optimistic Vikings fans were probably feeling better than okay about the receivers. Wright has always produced when given a shot. Adams and Coley look interesting. The Vikings have been trying to find consistent, if not explosive, production at the position since Cris Carter, Randy Moss, and Jake Reed took apart defenses. That's a tremendously high bar but the addition of Floyd gives the Vikings more talent, depth, and hope at receiver than they've had in quite some time.
No comments:
Post a Comment