What Can The Minnesota Vikings Expect From Mike Wallace?

Mike Wallace recently stated that he is without a doubt the fastest player in the entire NFL.

Good. We really hope you are, Mr. Wallace.

We need speed. We need to throw the ball down the field. We need to see another Culpepper-to-Moss-esque-80-yard-bomb reincarnation in the form of Teddy Bridgewater and our newly acquired speed demon.

Okay, maybe that’s asking for a little too much.

I digress…

The Minnesota Vikings finished 25th overall on passes of over 40 yards or more (only seven) in 2014, clearly evidencing the lack of a deep threat.

Now, one can argue that Teddy Bridgewater can be blamed for not giving us a few more of those long connections, as he missed badly on several wide open opportunities (as I mentioned in my last post), but we still did not have a guy that could stretch the field on a weekly basis.

The addition of Wallace (who spent his last two seasons in Miami and his first four in Pittsburgh) this offseason immediately bridges that gap.

At least on paper.

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No one will deny that Mike Wallace is fast as hell. No one will deny that he has big play potential written all over his forehead.

In six NFL seasons, Wallace has accumulated nearly 6,000 receiving yards (5,834 to be exact), 200 rushing yards (huh?) and has grabbed 47 touchdown passes. Throw in his career average of 15.6 yards per reception and a career best reception of 95 yards and we’ve got our hands on a damn good receiver.

May 27, 2015; Eden Prairie, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace (11) meets with the media after practice at Winter Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

But there’s always a but.

The but with Wallace is that he’s not just known as a freaky fast receiver.

Wallace is also known for visually showing his frustration. He has a history of having a bad attitude when things are not going his way. And he also has been questioned for his on-and-off effort levels while on the field.

Simply put, the guy pretty much created his own exits in both Pittsburgh and Miami.

If you need a better analogy, let’s just put it this way:

If you were to combine Terrell Owens and our beloved Randy Moss, Mike Wallace would be the final product.

Amazing talent and speed. Questionable attitude and effort. Outspoken when not getting the ball as much as desired.

And I mean this in a good and bad way. The talent is there without question, and as a receiver, you better damn well want the ball.

But we all know there is a right and wrong way of showing that.

Regardless of the past and the knocks that Wallace has been given, I am still elated to have him donning the Purple and Gold, because you cannot take away raw talent.

And our passing game desperately needed a guy like Wallace. I’d also bet the house and the farm that Teddy was all smiles when we made the trade for him too.

I adamantly believe that Mike Wallace is going to get this right and reignite his career here in Minnesota. As Vikings fans, we would all be more than happy to reap the benefits of an all out, Teddy-to-Wallace bombs away clinic.

Wallace still has time and the talent to be an upper echelon caliber receiver in the NFL.

Sometimes all a player needs is a change of scenery and a fresh start. The slate is clean for him as a Viking.

Welcome to Minnesota, Mike Wallace. I expect big things from you and I cannot wait for you to show the league that you’ve still got it.

What Can The Minnesota Vikings Expect From Mike Wallace?

By Sam Verschaetse | May 28, 2015

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