The Minnesota Vikings have been struggling to get more balanced on offense. The lack of diversity is what likely led to the team failing to make a deep run into the playoffs in the 2012-13 season. The team relied heavily on Adrian Peterson and the rushing yards, but after key offseason moves, head coach Leslie Frazier is looking to give Peterson a break.
Peterson came just shy of having a 2,000 yard rushing season in 2012. He has spoken up about his desire to run for at least 2,500 yards in the upcoming season. While he says he is not going to focus on the single-season rushing record, it is a bar he has set for himself. He believes that he can truly shatter the record while helping the team to a Super Bowl victory. While Frazier is hoping for a productive season out of Peterson, he wants balance.
"It's not imperative that Adrian rushed for 2,000 yards, or 2,500 yards, for us to win. Our offense always is going to run through Adrian, but we want to be able to pass the ball better than we did a year ago," Frazier said.
The team made key offseason moves to help in this effort. They signed veteran wide receiver Greg Jennings and draft former Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson to help Christian Ponder air the ball out more. Jennings has not been in Minnesota for long, but he is already loving his new quarterback.
"I love him. I love his personality, I love his demeanor on the field. The one thing we talk about, and I've shared with him more than anything, is the trust factor because he has everything he needs. The skill set, he has it. It's just about trusting the other guy," Jennings told ESPN.
While Jennings admits he was spoiled with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, he truly believes that Ponder will shock people this season. The team certainly has the pieces in place for that to happen. Jennings is really comfortable with the depth at the receiving position that the team has acquired with the likes of Kyle Rudolph, Jerome Simpson and Patterson.
Jennings recently bragged about the Vikings' rookie receiver, Patterson. He believes the wide receiver has the proper intangibles to truly be a successful playmaker for the Vikings and should make an immediate impact.