EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -Bernard Berrian had a step on his man, racing down the right sideline to chase a deep pass from Tarvaris Jackson.
Just when it looked like Berrian was in position to make a big play, he stumbled with a defensive back and fell to the turf, the ball glancing off his fingertips.
It’s been that kind of start for a receiver who signed a large contract to give the Minnesota Vikings the deep threat they sorely needed.
The brother of an Olympic sprinting hopeful, Berrian just hasn’t been able to get out of the blocks yet this year. He had three catches for 38 yards in a season-opening loss at Green Bay and was shut out in an 18-15 defeat to Indianapolis last week.
That’s not the kind of production expected from a player who signed a $42 million contract with $16 million in guaranteed money that made him one of the richest receivers in the league.
nd we’ve still got some things to do. But it is frustrating when you’re not starting off the way you want to start.”
It hasn’t been all Berrian’s fault. The Vikings’ passing game has struggled in the first two games, and coach Brad Childress says he is partly to blame for Berrian’s modest numbers.
“I need to do a better job of factoring him in and getting him more looks,” Childress said.
The receivers have managed just 10 catches for 148 yards in the first two games. Slot receiver Bobby Wade leads the group with three catches for 42 yards, but that is good for only fifth on the team.
Running back Adrian Peterson, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, running back Chester Taylor and tight end Garrett Mills all rank higher.
“We obviously have to do a better job of getting the ball to our wide receivers,” Childress said. “Somewhere you’re going to need to throw it to your wideouts. Whether it’s short or whether it’s long, you have to get the ball to those guys.”
After making a career-high 71 catches for 951 yards and five touchdowns last season in Chicago, the Vikings made acquiring Berrian one of their top priorities of the free agent season. Owner Zygi Wilf signed off on a significant compensation package for him, figuring that if Berrian could post numbers like that in Chicago’s woeful offense, he would only improve on Minnesota’s balanced unit.
y in training camp, an injury that appears will linger all season long.
“The biggest thing is getting out of cuts and really try to push off on it,” Berrian said. “But I played with it all last year so it’s the same thing this year.”
With Sidney Rice suffering a knee injury against Indianapolis last week, Berrian will need to show the same kind of toughness this season. He doesn’t seem worried – yet.
“Frustrated, yeah. But catches will come,” Berrian said. “They’re always going to come. I don’t try to worry about things I can’t control.”
Jackson completed just 51 percent of his passes in the first two games, though he did have several dropped. On Wednesday, Childress announced that backup quarterback Gus Frerotte will be the starter for the rest of the season.
“He’s been in the league for 20,000 years,” Berrian said, slightly embellishing the 37-year-old’s experience. “He’s going to know when he can go certain places with the ball and when he can’t. He’ll probably just be a little smarter at that.”
Wade said he expects the playbook to be opened up a little wider on Sunday against Carolina with the veteran under center. And Frerotte says he is ready to wing it.
“There’s going to be no hesitation,” Frerotte said. “If I think I’ve got something, it’s going to go, and you’ve got to put it right back on those guys. You’ve got to go make the play, too.”
ppened often enough in the first two games, and Berrian has heard coaches promise him that he will be more involved going forward.
“It’s cool that they feel that way, but I don’t want to be looked at as, Oh, we have to try and keep him happy,” he said. “I don’t want to be in that situation.”
—
AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this story.
Add A Comment