Vikings wide receivers coach explains what he looks for in a player

What are the keys to be successful as a wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings? Coach Drew Petzing explains what he looks for in a player.

This offseason, the Minnesota Vikings promoted Drew Petzing from an assistant working with running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers to being the team’s wide receivers coach after five seasons with the team.

Petzing’s promotion is hopefully well earned, but with that promotion comes more accountability for the players who he will be looking over on the team as the franchise attempts to reach the Super Bowl.

During a recent session with the media shared on Vikings.com, Petzing spoke about his current players and what he hopes to get out of them as well as what he will be looking for when it comes to adding more talent to the team through free agency or the NFL Draft.

Firstly, Petzing wanted to clarify that body type isn’t going to make or break a player. Instead, each pass catcher will be evaluated based on their effort and availability.

"“The one thing, and we look for this in guys we have on the roster and guys we don’t, is guys who are going to come in and work hard,” Petzing said. “Whether that’s big, small, tall … we’re not going to worry too much about that.”"

Working hard is what continues to be stressed by the coach. That means effort on the field, studying the playbook, during practice, and in all phases of being a wide receiver and fitting into what the team is trying to accomplish offensively.

"“We want guys that are going to buy into our system, work extremely hard, learn the system and perform at a high level,” Petzing added. “Depth, however that may come, can come in different [areas] … it can come in the draft, free agency, it doesn’t matter. [We want] guys who are going to fit who we are and what we want.”"

With great players like Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs as part of that wide receiver group, hard work isn’t something that needs to be pushed on them. Both of them are constantly trying to improve their game and help get the team over the hump.

Laquon Treadwell, Chad Beebe, Brandon Zylstra, and Jeff Badet are set to return to the Vikings this offseason and with Drew Petzing looking over them as the new wide receivers coach, fans can know he will have a high standard for Minnesota’s pass catchers.