Vikings

How Ihmir Smith-Marsette Benefits From the Dede Westbrook Signing

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports)

The Minnesota Vikings finally found their third wide receiver when they signed Dede Westbrook on Saturday afternoon.With this perfect fit for the Vikings’ offense, they now have a trio that can not only provide an option outside of Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson but insurance if one of them gets hurt.

It’s clear that the Vikings come out as a big winner — they added depth and another playmaker to their offense. But if we’re talking about a single player that benefits most from the move, we have to talk about Ihmir-Smith Marsette.

I get it, this seems bizarre at first. Smith-Marsette slid down the depth chart as soon as Westbrook was signed. However, with more time to develop, there’s a better chance that he can be an effective player at the NFL level.

The Vikings began the offseason linked to several receiver targets but didn’t wind up with any of them. After re-signing Chad Beebe, conventional wisdom indicated that the Vikings would take a receiver in the draft, but it didn’t happen on the first two days.

When the Vikings made their fifth-round selection, they took Smith-Marsette with the hope that he could play a key role on the offense and special teams. That continued into minicamp, where KFAN’s Paul Allen reported that Smith-Marsette was “given every opportunity” to win the WR3 job.

Adding the pressure of expectations to a player selected in the fifth round is a misguided strategy but it’s something they’ve done often. The Vikings found Stefon Diggs in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, but their attempts to duplicate that feat have failed. For every Diggs that makes an immediate impact, there are a handful of players like K.J. Osborn and Rodney Adams who don’t make the Week 1 roster.

Putting a rookie in that situation is a poor decision. That’s why the Vikings needed to sign a veteran like Westbrook.

By adding Westbrook, the Vikings can take a more patient approach with Smith-Marsette. If he’s able to adapt to the NFL level quickly, there’s a chance he can move past Chad Beebe and Bisi Johnson on the depth chart and have a moderate role as a rookie. That would lay the foundation for next year when Westbrook could be gone and Smith-Marsette would be more equipped for the role.

There’s also the chance that Smith-Marsette can learn some things from Westbrook. He showed promise during his career at Iowa and averaged 16.4 yards per reception in 2019. While Westbrook has only averaged 10.4 yards per catch during his career, he’s one of the league’s best at gaining separation, which could help Smith-Marsette in the long run.

Having the chance to work under Thielen and Jefferson won’t hurt either.

The bottom of the Vikings’ depth chart becomes interesting with the addition of Westbrook because a lot of the players ahead of Smith-Marsette are flawed.

Beebe is excellent at finding ways to get open, but his inability to gain yards after the catch makes him the receiver version of Leroy Hoard. Johnson started the first two games ahead of Jefferson but hasn’t looked great in a starting role. Even if K.J. Osborn shows signs of life, it’s more likely he makes the team as a punt returner.

These are guys that Smith-Marsette should be able to beat out in training camp and find his way to the No. 4 option this season. While he probably would like a bigger role, it’s a good way to start his career and give him an opportunity to exceed the performance of previous fifth-round receivers.

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