We heard on Friday that free-agent receiver Dede Westbrook would be visiting the Seahawks on Sunday. It sounds like that visit has been scrapped. Westbrook will instead be signing a one-year deal with the Vikings on Sunday, a source told veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson.
Westbrook worked out for Minnesota earlier Saturday, and apparently that workout went well. It was reported Friday that Seattle, the 49ers and the Bengals were all still on his radar, but the Vikings edged them all out. There’s a connection here, as Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell was Westbrook’s position coach in Jacksonville.
A fourth-round pick in 2017, Westbrook spent the first four years of his pro career with the Jaguars. In 2018 and 2019, he had at least 63 catches, 660 yards and three touchdown receptions both season. Last year, he played in only two games before tearing an ACL in October, finishing with just one catch for four yards.
We don’t have the financial terms yet, but coming off that injury he likely had to settle for something pretty cheap. It certainly took a while for his market to heat up.
The Oklahoma product has also shown plenty of potential as a returner. The Vikings, of course, have Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, but not a ton else at receiver beyond them, so this is a decent depth signing.
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