Skip to main content
Advertising

News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

Vikings Pleased with Rookie WR Laquon Treadwell's Toughness

The Vikings have 11 wide receivers on their roster as 2016 Verizon Vikings Training Camp approaches, including six who were with the team in 2015. 

Stefon Diggs, Charles Johnson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Adam Thielen and Jarius Wright were on the active roster last season, and Isaac Fruechte was on the practice squad.

The Vikings boosted their wide receiving corps by selecting Laquon Treadwell in the first round and Moritz Böhringer in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Substantial Stats

Diggs was a fifth-round pick out of Maryland in 2015 and was inactive for Minnesota's first three games of the season.

But the 22-year-old quickly found rapport with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and ended up leading the team in catches (52) and yards (720).

Diggs, who also caught four touchdowns, finished second among all rookies in receiving yards.

Notable Quote

Bridgewater organized multiple offseason passing workouts in Florida for the wide receivers and tight ends in April and July, camps that were dubbed the "Teddy Two Gloves Passing Academy."

With the majority of Minnesota's wide receivers being 25 years or younger, the camps were a chance for the group to bond and improve their craft on the field. 

"Everything went smooth," Diggs said of the April session. "This was the first time everybody got together as a group.

"Everybody getting in a little earlier than usual," he added. "Spending that quality time with your guys is going to pay off in the long run."

Coach's Corner

Treadwell is the seventh wide receiver that Minnesota has ever drafted in a first round.

At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, the rookie brings size and physicality to the Vikings, traits that wide receivers coach George Stewart likes in his players.

"He's developed himself into a good player so far," Stewart said. "He's a good learner, and we'll bring him along slowly.

"He's going to be a good player for us as he goes forward," he added. "The biggest thing about him that Coach Zim' has always talked about is his toughness and his ability to make difficult catches, and he's done those things since he's been here."

The Depth Chart

Johnson and Wright are the most experienced wide receivers on the roster as they are entering their fourth and fifth seasons, respectively. Johnson dealt with a rib injury in 2015. Wright caught 34 passes for 442 yards.

Thielen and Patterson are key special teams contributors. Thielen plays on almost every special teams unit, and Patterson led the NFL with a kickoff return average of 31.8 yards in 2015.

Treadwell was the 23rd pick in the draft after the 20-year-old caught 82 passes for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns during his junior season at Mississippi.

The German-born Böhringer was one of the most interesting stories of the draft. He made history by being the first player drafted directly out of Europe without first playing college football.

The Vikings also have Terrell Sinkfield, Troy Stoudermire and Marken Michel on the roster. Sinkfield and Stoudermire signed as free agents this offseason, and Michel signed as an undrafted free agent.

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.
Advertising