Yes, the Vikings had quarterback-turned-receiver Joe Webb fielding punts on Wednesday. No, he won’t be among the team’s potential punt returners in 2013.
For now.
“We’re thinking more wide receiver, potentially kickoff return guy, but not so much punt return,” coach Leslie Frazier said of Webb, via quotes distributed by the team. “We do have him fielding punts because it’s going to help him with catching the ball, but we’re not looking at him as a punt returner.”
But the door isn’t closed on Webb returning punts.
“We’ll see,” Frazier said. “If he caught one in the preseason and went 60 yards, we may have to rethink it.”
Marcus Sherels served as the team’s punt returner in 2012. Despite former Vikings receiver Percy Harvin’s unique skills as a kickoff returner, he never returned punts for the Vikings because he had trouble fielding the ball.