The Star-Tribune’s Master Tesfatsion posted a great article highlighting a camp battle that many folks aren’t quite aware of. Here is what he had to say about the fight Jarius Wright and Jerome Simpson for the slot wide receiver job:
"Nov 11, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jarius Wright (17) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Jerome Simpson (81) during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY SportsThe top two receivers are clear but the slot receiver is unknown at this point in a battle between Jarius Wright and Jerome Simpson. Wright, in his third season, received most of the first team reps at slot up to this point with Simpson, who re-signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, receiving second team reps. Will that change during training camp? Simpson is a deep threat receiver that can stretch the field with his speed. Wright showed last year he can do a little of just about everything in a limited role last year. Youth pitted against experience, but both should see a fair amount of snaps in Turner’s offense."
Personally, I always assumed that Jarius Wright would be the slot receiver with Jerome Simpson filling in for any position that needed a break or in case of injury. While I like Jerome Simpson’s skill set, Cordarrelle Patterson beat him out for the starting job opposite Greg Jennings fair and square. Since he’s no longer a starter on the outside, I never really thought about moving him inside to the slot instead of using him in a backup capacity.
What do you guys think? Is Jarius Wright vs Jerome Simpson a legitimate camp battle? If so, who do you think will come out on top? Let me know in the comments below!