The Minnesota Vikings have a talented duo starting at wide receiver in Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson, and they have efficient depth behind them.
The Minnesota Vikings upgraded their receiving corps last offseason by signing Greg Jennings and drafting Cordarrelle Patterson in the first round, but this was not enough to help quarterback Christian Ponder.
However, they are primed to have better seasons as they enter Year Two in the Vikings offense. If Teddy Bridgewater pans out as expected, he will snag the starting quarterback job at the beginning of the season.
Jennings signed a hefty contract after leaving the Green Bay Packers, but he finished with an underwhelming 68 catches, 804 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Patterson finished with 45 catches, 469 yards and four touchdowns. The former first-round pick also finished with a whopping 1,393 kickoff return yards with two touchdowns. He was also involved in the running game, rushing for 158 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries.
The Vikings are clearly planning on getting him more involved in the offense, and he figures to be an even more dangerous weapon with a year of NFL experience under his belt. His explosive playmaking ability instantly makes Vikings fans think of their former receiver, Percy Harvin.
Jerome Simpson and Jarius Wright are set to be the key backup receivers for the Vikings. Simpson can be a solid deep threat, but he is too inconsistent to be a reliable starter.
Wright will struggle to increase his numbers with three receivers ahead of him on the depth chart, but he can still be considered a breakout candidate. At worst, Wright will be a sufficient contributor off the bench.
The Vikings are expected to carry five receivers total, and Adam Thielen is on track to snag the final spot among the wide receivers. The practice squad player has reportedly impressed the team in practices so far, so his promotion to the active roster is imminent.
Although they did not perform up to expectations in 2013, the receiving unit was weighed down by mediocre-at-best quarterback play, but Bridgewater is primed to take over as the starter if Cassel and Ponder do not improve.
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