The much discussed off-season topic of improving the Vikings’ passing game most often focuses on 25-year-old quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. The improvement must come from better performance among the team’s wide receivers, too. Rick Spielman, the team’s vice president of player personnel, spoke with optimism last week when he discussed a group that includes young receivers Sidney Rice and Aundrae Allison.
Rice and Allison were rookies last season. Rice, 21, caught 31 passes for 396 yards, a 12.8 average, and had four touchdown receptions. Allison, 22, caught eight passes for 122 yards and a 15.3 average.
“Sidney Rice, we’re very excited about,” Spielman told Sports Headliners. “He’s a young, talented receiver that I think will just make another jump, and (he) made some impact for us last year.”
Spielman describes Allison as “maybe our most gifted athletic receiver.” He also said Allison is an “explosive kickoff returner.” Last season Allison averaged 28.7 yards on 20 returns including a 104 yarder for a touchdown.
Anticipation about the receivers, of course, includes how free agent acquisition Bernard Berrian will play. The assumption is he will make a major impact on the team’s deep passing game. His numbers last year included 71 catches (five touchdowns) and a 13.4 average per reception.
The arrival of Berrian allows Bobby Wade to become more of a secondary option than a long ball threat. It’s a role that suits Wade better. Last season he caught 54 passes (three touchdowns) and averaged 12.0 yards per reception.
Spielman said not to “discount” veteran wide receiver Robert Ferguson. He will be playing his eighth NFL season in 2008 and Spielman praised his blocking.