Stefon Diggs is proving his potential value to the Minnesota Vikings as a wide receiver (some are even prematurely comparing him to the best receivers in the NFL) but what about his value as a return man?
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As of today, Marcus Sherels is still the punt returner and Cordarrelle Patterson is still the kick returner. But that could change if Diggs gets a chance to show what he can do.
If special teams coordinator Mike Priefer has his way, Diggs will absolutely get that chance.
In his press conference from Mankato Monday morning, Priefer talked about giving Diggs more opportunities as a returner, and not just in practice:
Priefer: "I would like to see Stefon (Diggs) in game situations because I think he can compete as PR and KR on this team." #Vikings
— Aj Mansour (@AjKFAN) August 3, 2015
Cordarrelle Patterson likely isn’t going anywhere, and as long as he’s on the Vikings, they need to maximize his value by letting him return kicks.
It’s a different story with Marcus Sherels who, though he is a good punt returner and an experienced backup cornerback, is eminently replaceable.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say Sherels is in trouble, but it certainly sounds like Priefer is intrigued with Diggs and wants to at least give him a shot to unseat the dependable veteran.
The rookie Diggs is opening a lot of eyes in Mankato, and Mike Priefer is one of those who has taken notice. So look for Diggs to get some reps returning punts and kicks in preseason.
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