Vikings positioning Webb for No. 2 QB

The Vikings are trending away from working Joe Webb at receiver, feeling good about his prospects as the team’s No. 2 QB.

The Vikings spent time during the 2011 season trying to figure out how to best use Joe Webb. That process continues after offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave has spent a season with Webb, but there is a growing sentiment among Vikings coaches that Webb is a quarterback and best kept at that position.

"We've talked about that as the season ended, and we've kind of settled on Joe being in that quarterback role,” head coach Leslie Frazier said. “Although he can do a lot of different things, we really want to see him develop at the quarterback position. We're leaning, as we speak today, moving away from some of those other things he's capable of doing.”

Webb ended up being used mainly as a quarterback in his first season in Musgrave’s offense, but there were times he was split out as a receiver when he and rookie quarterback Christian Ponder or former Vikings veteran Donovan McNabb was in the game. Since then, Webb has established himself as the No. 2 quarterback on the team, behind Ponder.

“We'll see how it plays out as we go through this process. He's a viable No. 2 for us, without question,” Frazier said. “We feel he creates a lot of pressure for defenses having to defend him. We want to give him the best chance to really fulfill his potential as a quarterback.”

Webb has taken a team-first attitude throughout the process, saying he would do whatever gives him the best chance to get on the field and stay there, but it’s become clear he considers himself a quarterback first.

"I think we can let him hone in on a position and not move him around quite as much. (It) should be a plus for him and a plus for us,” Frazier said.

“We’re still discussing it, but that’s kind of where we’re at now, letting him work from the quarterback position and let him develop at that position. He showed that he can be a good quarterback in our league.”

Webb played in 10 games, starting one last year, and finished the season completing 34 of 63 passes for 376 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

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