Vikings find No. 1 receiver by poaching Jennings from rival Green Bay Packers
Greg Jennings has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Vikings, becoming the latest Green Bay Packer to head across the border and join their bitter NFC North rivals.
Jennings made his decision on Friday, giving the Vikings the No. 1 receiver they so desperately needed after trading Percy Harvin to Seattle.
ESPN first reported the five- year deal. Whenever the Vikings have really needed to fill a big hole, they’ve gone to Green Bay to do it more often than not.
Jennings joins safety Darren Sharper, kicker Ryan Longwell and, of course, quarterback Brett Favre as high- profile Packers to defect to Minnesota.
Like all the rest of them, Jennings will be looking to prove that his best days are not behind him.
The 29- year- old Jennings played in only eight games for the Packers in 2012, plus two in the playoffs, because of a torn lower abdominal muscle and finished with a career- low 366 yards receiving with an average of 10.2 yards per catch, also his worst NFL total. In 2011, he missed three games with a sprained left knee.
Instead of catching passes from the elite Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, Jennings will be charged with helping third- year Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder take the next step in his development.
“He’s as great player,” Ponder said of Jennings earlier this week. “He’s been doing great things in Green Bay, and he’d bring leadership to that position.”
The Vikings have locked up their own free agents, including right tackle Phil Loadholt and fullback Jerome Felton and signed backup quarterback Matt Cassel to a one- year deal. CARDINALS RELEASE KOLB: The Arizona Cardinals have released Kevin Kolb, ending the quarterback’s two injury- filled seasons with the team.
The team’s move on Friday came just ahead of the deadline for paying Kolb a $ 2- million roster bonus.
Releasing Kolb reportedly saved $ 7 million in salary cap space. Meanwhile, the Cardinals were spending the money left and right, agreeing to terms Friday on one- year contracts with former San Diego and ex- University of Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason and ex- Oakland defensive end Matt Shaughnessy.
Arizona has made eight free- agent acquisitions since Wednesday, a sign of the shakeup the franchise is undergoing under new management and a new coaching staff. KELLER, GIBSON TO MIAMI: Ryan Tannehill now has plenty of potential pass targets, thanks to a spending spree by the Miami Dolphins.
Miami signed tight end Dustin Keller and wideout Brandon Gibson on Friday to complete a muchneeded upgrade of the receiving corps. The Dolphins earlier added Mike Wallace, the top pass- catcher in free agency and re- signed wideout Brian Hartline last week.
The moves transform the passing game into a potential strength, with Tannehill the triggerman.
He became the first Dolphins rookie to start all 16 games at quarterback last year