We heard yesterday that free agent receiver Dede Westbrook would be visiting the Seahawks on Sunday. It sounds like that visit has been scrapped. Westbrook will instead be signing a one-year deal with the Vikings on Sunday, a source told veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson (Twitter link).
Westbrook worked out for Minnesota earlier today, and apparently that workout went well. It was reported yesterday that Seattle, the 49ers, and the Bengals were all still on his radar, but the Vikings edged them all out. There’s a connection here, as Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell was Westbrook’s position coach in Jacksonville.
A fourth-round pick in 2017, Westbrook spent the first four years of his pro career with the Jaguars. In 2018 and 2019, he had at least 63 catches, 660 yards, and three touchdowns both season. Last year he only played in two games before tearing an ACL in October, finishing with just one catch for four yards.
We don’t have the financial terms yet, but coming off that injury he likely had to settle for something pretty cheap. It certainly took a while for his market to heat up.
The Oklahoma product has also shown plenty of potential as a returner. The Vikings of course have Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, but not a ton else at receiver beyond them, so this is a decent depth signing. Westbrook says he’s fully recovered from the ACL tear, responding “most definitely” when Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press asked if he’d be ready to roll for the start of training camp on Wednesday (Twitter link).
Nice WR Corp alongside Jefferson and Theilen.
Except those two, and now Westbrook are pretty much it.
However, much like the 49ers, the Vikings can look to Irv Smith and then Dalvin Cook and Ameer Abdullah for three more reliable options in the passing game.
Maybe Whop Philyor or Bisi Johnson can step up a their #4 WR, but other then that, they do have a couple guys with at least the bloodlines to be productive in rookie Blake Proehl and then Chad Beebe, who caught 20 passes for 200+ last season..
B. Johnson and C. Beebe are both better than advertised. They make the most of their limited opportunities!
I’d take those guys as my top 3 WR over what the Lions have any day.
don’t forget about Ihmir Smith-Marsette either. I would rank him above Philyor and Johnson.
Whop will surprise ya. Give him a shot!
I will definitely keep an eye out for Whop. I don’t know much about him. Bisi though is not gonna be around much longer.
Was hoping for Seattle so he’d finally have a good qb to play for but I guess KC is better than anyone he had at Jax.