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Mike Wallace was acquired by the Minnesota Vikings in a trade with the Miami Dolphins earlier this offseason. It was a deal that hasn’t been talked about too much, but that could change everything in the NFC North division. Minnesota hasn’t had a legitimate No. 1 target in quite some time, but Wallace is more than capable of being that guy for them.
He was one of the brightest young wide receivers in the game during his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but fell off a bit after signing with the Dolphins. That being said, expect better things from him in 2015 with the Vikings.
During the 2014 season with Miami, Wallace ended up catching 67 passes for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns. It was a breakout season for him with the Dolphins, and it shows a bit of what he is capable of doing with the Vikings. He will fit much better into Norv Turner‘s offense than he did in Miami, and is likely going to be top receiver right off the bat.
Second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is also ready to take a major step forward in 2015. Minnesota believes that they have finally found a legitimate player that they can build their franchise around, and he showed signs of brilliance last year as a rookie. Placing Wallace alongside the young quarterback will give both players more confidence, and it is a duo that could very well become something special for a long time.
At 28 years old, Wallace is still in the prime of his career and has at least a few more seasons at his peak. He is a very tough match for any opposing defensive back, and has some of the best speed that any receiver in the NFL could possibly ask for.
Heading into his seventh season, Wallace is also bringing in another veteran presence that can help lead the young offense.
Looking ahead at the Vikings’ offense, there is no doubt that it has the potential to become something special. Adrian Peterson will be back after a year off, and will have more motivation than ever to come through with a massive season on the ground. Minnesota desperately missed him last season, and their offense will be complete with him back on the field.
They have been slowly trying to get back into playoff contention, and acquiring Wallace was a big step for them. He will bring another dynamic playmaker to their aerial attack that they haven’t had in a long time. Alongside of Cordarrelle Patterson, Stefon Diggs, Charles Johnson and Jarius Wright, the Vikings have a much more complete wide receiving corps this season.
While they look much deeper at the position, there is only one player that is capable of being a true number one target. Wallace has done it before, and has been very successful in the past in the same role. Neither Patterson nor Wright are capable of handling that role, which leaves Wallace being the go-to guy for Bridgewater.
All of that being said, it will be very interesting to see what Wallace is able to bring to the Minnesota offense in 2015. He certainly has the potential to become a star once again, and that is exactly what the Vikings and their fans can expect to see. This is exactly the situation that Wallace has been needing to become a star once again, and he will take advantage of what he has been given.
Evan Massey is a featured writer for www.RantSports.com, and contributes across the NFL, MLB, NCAA and NBA portions of the site. Follow him on Twitter at @Massey_Evan and like him on Facebook.
