The Minnesota Vikings are going to look a lot different on offense this season after 2012 and not just because they traded away star Percy Harvin, as the team has decided to move backup quarterback Joe Webb to wide receiver full time.
According to NFL.com, Webb will be moving to wide receiver and the move was expected by head coach Leslie Frazier, as the team signed Matt Cassel as a free agent and he will be the backup and could challenge to start over Christian Ponder. Webb has been with the team since being drafted as a receiver in 2010, but he previously played quarterback and started a number of games for the Vikings, including the one that snapped Brett Favre's streak when he got hurt.
Webb played receiver for a time at Alabama-Birmingham and caught 30 passes for 459 yards as a sophomore and after starting the Vikings playoff game last year for Christian Ponder, he will now catch passes from him. Cordarrelle Patterson will get the chance to start as a rookie with Greg Jennings, but now with Webb in the mix the three have slightly less pressure and one may be able to step up as the primary option after Harvin was traded.
Webb went 11 of 30 passes for 180 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the playoff loss to Green Bay, but his speed and quick moves are what the Vikings love and they hope it can translate back into the offense to help with the loss of Harvin. He played in 11 games in 2011 and started two as a rookie and now he has the chance to make more explosive plays.
"It's going to be very interesting," Webb said about the position switch. "I haven't played it since my rookie minicamp, but I think I can adjust to it pretty good. You just have to put in a lot of work. (Wide receivers) coach Stew (George Stewart) will do a lot of that with me, so we'll see what happens."
