Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings “still has juice”
By Mike Dyce
The Minnesota Vikings signed veteran receiver Greg Jennings to a five year deal worth about $47.5 million. He has taken on a leadership role with the organization helping mentor and coach the younger players like first round draft pick Cordarrelle Patterson.
The Vikings didn’t sign Jennings to coach though, they signed him to be a dynamic receiver to help their offense.
“What I’ve seen from Jennings is a guy who isn’t an aging veteran. He still has juice,” coach George Stewart says.
Stewart isn’t the only Vikings coach encouraged by Jennings performance in camp.
“He’s still got that burst, he’s still got that ability to make plays after the catch, and he’s still got great hands,” head coach Leslie Frazier says. “We’re looking forward to him making some of those plays for us.”
Jennings is still an elite route runner according to his head coach.
“You don’t have to be a blazer because he knows how to run routes, knows how to set DBs up, and he understands different coverages,” Frazier said, via the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “That’s a big asset of his.”
Route running is a point of pride for Jennings.
“One person who I admired for years was Hines Ward,” Jennings says. “He just knew how to get open. At the tight end position, I look at (Tony) Gonzalez or (Jason) Witten. They’re not fast, but they know how to use their bodies and they know how to get open.
“It’s not so much about speed all the time. I played against Charles Woodson every day. He lost a step, but he said, ‘Now, I have to be a lot smarter.’ “