09-05-2021, 11:41 PM
Vikings expect receiver Dede Westbrook to be ‘plug-and-play’ weaponThe biggest question surrounding Westbrook right now is his health.
Dede Westbrook was among the most dynamic players in the country during his college days at Oklahoma. He routinely would haul in a short pass near the line of scrimmage and make opposing defenses look silly en route to a big gain.
His production was undeniable: 80 catches for 1,524 yards and 17 touchdowns during his senior season. He was named a finalist for the 2016 Heisman Trophy and finished fourth in voting behind quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson and Baker Mayfield, respectively.
No wonder the Vikings were so ecstatic to add the 27-year-old Westbrook to their roster this offseason. Though he hasn’t proven to be quite as electrifying in the NFL — he has spent his entire career to this point with the Jacksonville Jaguars — there’s still a lot to like about his body of work.
“He’s played a lot of football,” quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “He’s a guy who’s pretty plug-and-play and ready to go. It’s more about just continuing to give him those opportunities. I’m really excited about what he can do for us.”
The biggest question surrounding Westbrook right now is his health. He suffered a gruesome knee injury last season and Vikings head trainer Eric Sugarman has been bringing him along very slowly over the past month.
If the past couple of weeks are any indication, though, Westbrook will be full go for the Sept. 12 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s gradually started to ramp up his participation in practice and recently got some reps in with the first-team offense.
Though he exited training camp trailing K.J. Osborn and Ihmir Smith-Marsette in the race for the No. 3 receiver spot, there’s a good chance Westbrook’s experience could catapult him ahead of both players on the depth chart at some point.
“He’s been practicing a lot lately, so we’re really excited about him,” offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said. “He can play a lot of spots and (receivers coach) Keenan McCardell has him really ready to play at all positions in this offense. He’s been getting some valuable practice reps, and that gives us confidence.”
It seems only a matter of time before Westbrook emerges as a weapon in the slot for the Vikings. He thrived in that role early in his career, using his blazing speed and elite quickness to post 66 catches for 717 yards in 2018, then 66 catches for 660 yards in 2019.
Plus, even if Westbrook doesn’t see the field on offense right away, he almost surely will be an immediate contributor on special teams. It sounds like he’s going to be the starting punt returner despite the fact that special-teams coordinator Ryan Ficken refused to say that on the record.
“I don’t want to give away too much,” he said. “We got some really talented guys on the roster that are going to be able to handle those duties. It could be by committee. We have an idea of what we want to go with moving forward and we are going to assess it as we go into next week.”
Asked a follow-up question specifically about Westbrook in that role, Ficken had trouble not tipping his hand.
“I’m very comfortable with him there,” he said. “This is not his first NFL game as a punt returner. He’s had success with it and that was partially the reason we wanted to bring him here to be able to compete for that."
https://www.twincities.com/2021/09/03/vi...ay-weapon/
