Tag: DeDe Westbrook

Updated list of Vikings free agents still left unsigned

Here’s a list of Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned.

The Minnesota Vikings are preparing for their first padded practice in their second week of training camp, while former players for the team are still looking for a job.

There are multiple key veteran players, including four-time Pro Bowler Anthony Barr, waiting around for the right offer from another team. Granted, it was recently reported that the Dallas Cowboys should be one of the teams to watch out for as a potential suitor for Barr.

And perhaps that’ll be the case for some of the other names on this list with interest eventually coming from other teams.

As we get deeper into training camp and eventually the preseason, more opportunities will arise with players getting injured or even cut from teams. That could open the door for players on this list to get back on the field. But until that happens, the waiting game will continue.

Former Vikings offensive tackle Rashod Hill was recently picked up by the Washington Commanders. So opportunity can clearly come knocking at any moment.

Here’s the updated list of Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned.

Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned

Heading into the month of July, these are the Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned.

Training camp is right around the corner, and there are still impactful Minnesota Vikings free agents that have yet to be picked up by a team.

There have been some updates since we last checked in a month ago, most notably with wide receiver Chad Beebe finding a home with the Houston Texans, and Dede Westbrook receiving a contract offer to return to Minnesota.

Beebe fell through the cracks when he was still with the Vikings due to the rapidly growing talent at the receiver position. The arrival of players like K.J. Osborn and Ihmir Smith-Marsette pretty much ensured that he’d never see the field.

He’s hopeful that’ll change as a veteran for a Texans team seeking new direction.

Meanwhile, Westbrook still remains a free agent, despite receiving a contract offer from the Vikings after a spring workout. However, he turned down that offer, and the team signed Albert Wilson to a one-year deal instead.

Keep in mind, more opportunities will obviously open up when teams get into camp, and rosters are impacted by performance and injuries. Here’s the list of Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned in July.

10 Sooners we would have loved to use but couldn’t during the EA Sports NCAA Football hiatus

With EA Sports planning a release of NCAA Football for 2023, we take a look at the 10 Oklahoma Sooners that would have been most fun to use during its hiatus.

One of the most popular franchises of all-time looks to be making a return to your video game consoles in 2023; EA Sports NCAA Football.

The game that’s been on the proverbial shelf since its last release in 2013 is making a return in the new era of college football that provides opportunities for players to earn through name, image, and likeness.

While they haven’t come out with a new title in nearly a decade, NCAA Football 2014 is still incredibly popular among sports gamers who have been able to continue playing online through Playstation consoles.

Rumor has it that nearly 120 teams are currently on board and EA Sports is working with them to get authentic sounds and crowd noises for its gameplay.

As NIL has come to the forefront of college athletics, gamers will likely get a chance to play with some of their favorite players moving forward as EA will attempt to create an even more realistic gaming experience. In years past, the company went with computer-generated names or simply numbers to identify players, but now that athletes can be compensated for their likeness, you’ll more than likely get to take control of Oklahoma’s offense with Nick Evers or Jackson Arnold at the helm when the game releases next year.

With the game’s absence, we missed out on opportunities to use some of our favorite Sooners. Let’s take a look at 10 players that would have been the most fun to use that didn’t get to grace EA Sports’ NCAA Football.

Dede Westbrook reportedly turned down contract offer from Vikings

Westbrook reportedly turned down an offer to return to Minnesota

Dede Westbrook is betting on himself and passing on an opportunity to return to the Minnesota Vikings.

The receiver/return specialist visited the team for a workout on Tuesday, and things obviously went well considering he was offered a contract on the same day, per the Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson.

It was noted that other teams were interested in Westbrook’s services ahead of his arrival in Minnesota. According to Tomasson, the 28-year-old veteran wideout turned down the offer from the Vikings, which paved the way for the team to sign Albert Wilson to a one-year deal.

It’s unlikely Westbrook would have made the trip if he wasn’t at least interested in returning to Minnesota. Perhaps it was a contractual reason for his decision to turn down the Vikings. One also has to wonder if he wanted more work as a receiver, along with his usual return duties.

It could have also been as simple as him just testing the market and choosing the best possible situation.

The Vikings were clearly ready to move on a veteran receiver right away instead of waiting to sign someone. It didn’t take them long to put pen to paper on a deal with Wilson.

Westbrook returned 22 punts for 183 yards in 2021 with the team, along with catching 10 passes for 68 yards.

Considering the incredible depth at the skilled positions, this Vikings team isn’t short on options to replace him.

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List of remaining unsigned Vikings free agents

There are some surprising names on this list

With OTAs wrapping up and veteran mandatory minicamp right around the corner, there are still some noteworthy names on the list of Minnesota Vikings free agents that remain unsigned.

The biggest name on that list is obviously former four-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro outside linebacker Anthony Barr.

After spending eight seasons with the Vikings, Barr’s contract was allowed to expire in the offseason ahead of the regime shift in Minnesota.

Not only did the team replace him with Za’Darius Smith, but they also gave away the No. 55 jersey he wore during his time with the franchise.

It’s a bit shocking that he’s still one of the players on this list considering he’s more than capable of helping a team in need at the linebacker position. The same could be said about other names on this list as well, assuming they end up in the right situation.

Here are the Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned to this point.

WR Dede Westbrook visiting Vikings for workout on Tuesday

A former Viking is in town for a visit

Wide receiver and return specialist Dede Westbrook will be visiting the Minnesota Vikings for a workout on Tuesday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Westbrook signed with the Vikings on a one-year deal in 2021 after finishing his rookie contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He wasn’t a major contributor with the Mike Zimmer-led team, but he did manage to find his way onto the field.

It was the typical Swiss army knife role of him hauling in 10 catches for 68 yards, along with returning 22 punts for 183 yards.

The gears must be turning in the big offensive noggin of new Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell when it comes to a player like Westbrook, who can be a legitimate playmaker with the ball in his hands.

His ability to serve as a gadget player in a variety of different roles would obviously have some appeal for an offense expected to get really creative with the playbook.

The Vikings resume organized team activities on Tuesday. So there’s a chance Westbrook could get an offer if he impresses the coaching staff. If not, there are a “few other teams” interested in his services, per Rapoport.

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Vikings 2022 offseason preview: Where does Minnesota stand at WR?

The firepower at receiver is unreal

For the Minnesota Vikings, the 2021 season was a teaser to what should be one of the best receiving units in 2022 and beyond. It doesn’t matter who starts under center—Kirk Cousins, Kellen Mond, a rookie or some veteran free agent the Vikings decide to bring into the fold.

Some quarterback will be playing with the Infinity Gauntlet of offensive firepower.

The opportunity will clearly be there for the Vikings to morph into one of the most explosive teams on the field with an offensive-minded head coach like Kevin O’Connell leading the charge.

They aren’t going to be a team afraid to take risks, and they’re going to consistently push the ball downfield. You can also expect plenty of pre-snap movement in order to bait and confuse opposing defenses.

Grab a cold beverage, a bowl of popcorn and pull up a chair. Things are about to reach new levels of excitement in Minnesota.

Here’s where the Vikings stand at wide receiver.

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Recent wide receiver offers by the Oklahoma Sooners signal a shift in philosophy

The Sooners recent WR offers reveal a shift in philosophy on the recruiting trail.

Oklahoma has had its fair share of talented wide receivers over the years. CeeDee Lamb, Sterling Shephard, Ryan Broyles, Mark Clayton, Malcolm Kelly, Dede Westbrook, and Tommy McDonald were all stars for the Crimson & Cream. They came in different shapes and sizes, but one thing remained true: They produced year after year. They showed up and showed out for the Sooners and earned the right to be considered one of the best wide receivers in Sooners history.

The Sooners have never really had a mold for what makes a wide receiver great, which is unique.

CeeDee Lamb was a skinny rail-thin kid from Foster, Texas, that was explosive and would catch almost anything in his radius. He’d go up and get jump balls but also take a drag route to the house after 65 yards. Broyles was highly effective in the intermediate areas as a first-down conversion machine, while Dede Westbrook could take the top off any defense with his speed. Malcolm Kelly made acrobatic catch after acrobatic catch.

As we look at this current group of Sooners, we see many different types of receivers. Those are all receivers brought in and recruited by Lincoln Riley, who had no set type of build he liked at receiver. Riley was reasonably simple in evaluating his receivers. He wanted guys who could simply play. It’s hard to fault him considering what his offenses did in his time at Oklahoma, but things have changed, and he’s left the prairies for the fast life of L.A., where he coaches the Trojans of USC.

Jeff Lebby, a Sooner alum and an up-and-coming offensive coordinator in his own right, has now assumed the offensive duties of the Crimson and Cream. With him, he brings an entirely new outlook on offense and personnel.

His offense doesn’t mirror Riley’s, but the biggest contrast comes with how Lebby has attacked personnel so far.

Upon his arrival as the Sooners’ new OC, Lebby offered wide receiver, Jayden Gibson. Gibson was at the time a Florida commit, and eventually, he’d flip from Florida to Oklahoma. Gibson stands at 6-foot-4. He’s enrolled and working out as an early enrollee.

That started a significant and noticeable trend of offers being shipped out to other wide receivers of the 2023 and 2024 classes. Lebby primarily likes his receivers big with long frames.

Here’s where we can draw this conclusion: Jaden Greathouse (6-foot-2), Jalen Hale (6-foot-2), and Aidan Mizell (6-foot-3) have taken precedent over guys like DeAndre Moore Jr, who recently decommitted from the Sooners.

There’s speculation that they weren’t impressed with Moore’s junior year tape and a knee injury also played a part. While both things could be true, Moore is a top 50 talent, and they still could’ve had him in the class if they wanted due to his relationship with DeMarco Murray.

The recruitment isn’t over but casting Moore while pursuing guys like Greathouse, Ashton Cozart, and Hale signals they are content moving in a different direction.

2023 Top100 recruit Jacobe Johnson from Mustang, Okla. has also been targeted by the Sooners. Johnson stands 6-foot-3.

Lebby wants big athletes out wide and will likely get those with the pool of talent he can recruit from while at Oklahoma.

The Sooners will still recruit smaller receivers, and Lebby will use them. Just look at former Ole Miss star turned early second-rounder for the New York Jets, Elijah Moore. He was a monster for them and was no bigger than Drake Stoops. Under Lebby, Moore posted 86 catches for 1,193 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. The reception yards were the most by an SEC player through the first eight games of a season.

However, it remains painfully apparent that Lebby will recruit outside receivers with length, long speed, and big frames and fill the slot with smaller, shiftier guys.

In a way, the Sooners could resemble the Clemson teams that Venables was a part of. Lately, on offense, they had big receivers like Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross and had smaller guys like Hunter Renfrow and Armani Rodgers in the slot.

It’s a fascinating change from seeing receivers of all sizes playing all over the field for the Sooners. Still, if the recent offers are any indication, the Sooners are heading toward a “big” shift at wide receiver.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

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Vikings activate WR Dede Westbrook, DE Danielle Hunter off COVID-19/Reserve list

The Vikings received some good news on Tuesday.

Dede Westbrook’s absence was felt on Monday night.

Vikings punt returner K.J. Osborn, filling in for Westbrook, hesitated on a punt that resulted in the Bears getting a 72-yard field position switch in the third quarter.

Westbrook maybe hasn’t lived up to his offseason billing as a punt returner and wide receiver three, but he’s been good depth. He’s also an improvement over any other Vikings punt returner this year.

So it helps the team that Westbrook is closer to returning. According to the NFL transactions wire, the Vikings activated Westbrook off the COVID-19/Reserve list on Tuesday.

The team also activated DE Danielle Hunter off the list, though Hunter remains on the IR. The Vikings edge rusher is out for the duration of 2021 with a pec injury.

Westbrook also can make a difference on offense if WR Adam Thielen continues to miss time. Thielen, who suffered an ankle injury against the Lions in Week 13, missed Weeks 14 and 15.

Vikings have the second most players placed on COVID-19/Reserve this year

The Vikings continue to deal with absences relating to COVID-19.

The Vikings currently have four players on the COVID-19/Reserve and three more on the COVID-19/Practice Squad Reserve.

Minnesota has had a total of 21 players placed on the COVID-19/Reserve at various points this season, as reported by The Athletic’s Chad Graff. That total is the second highest in the league. The Cleveland Browns have the highest mark with 24 players.

The Vikings had the lowest vaccination rate heading into the 2021 season. Minnesota has been forced to play without the help of key starters, such as S Harrison Smith, DT Dalvin Tomlinson and C Garrett Bradbury.

Minnesota currently has WR Dede Westbrook, DE Danielle Hunter, RB Alexander Mattison and WR Dan Chisena on the COVID-19/Reserve. Just a note: The Vikings have yet to announce Hunter’s placement on the list, but he is on there, according to the NFL transactions wire.

The Vikings were already missing Hunter due to his season-ending injury. The team will be without Mattison for the matchup against the Bears, because the backup running back is unvaccinated, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.