The Minnesota Vikings have been cruising so far this season as they have a 10-2 record. Not only are they competing for the top spot in the NFC North, but they are also trying to become the first seed in the NFC as well. During this time, their kicker Will Reichard was injured during their week 9 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Because of this injury, the Vikings brought in John Parker Romo. He has so far done an excellent job in place of Reichard, who is now eligible to come off of IR, as Romo has made 11 out of 12 field goal attempts. The rise of John Parker Romo has resulted in a tough decision to make at Kicker for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings Decision at Kicker
Will Reichard’s Impact
Will Reichard was drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 draft out of Alabama. Reichard was perfect on all of his field goals and extra-point attempts leading up to week seven of the season. Something was off in his performance when he struggled in week nine. Although he made all of his extra points, he ended up missing the two field goal attempts he had. Reichard would eventually be placed on IR and miss the next four games. The Vikings knew the next kicker up would have big shoes to fill.
And now Will Reichard has missed his first two kicks of the season. That 31-yard attempt hit the right upright. Vikings had a first down at the Colts’ 11 and came up scoreless. https://t.co/SnHMrcAJWd
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) November 4, 2024
The Rise of John Parker Romo
John Parker Romo is a former XFL kicker and was signed after Will Reichard went down with an injury. He made a name for himself in the XFL as he is XFL’s all-time field goal leader. His recent performances have helped the Vikings win close games. He had a huge impact in his first game with the Vikings. The Vikings won that game by five points against the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars. The Vikings did not score a single touchdown in this game. Instead, they had to rely on Romo to get the job done. He did just that as he made all four of his field goals.
In week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals, Romo’s role was crucial as he made field goals from 44 yards, 55 yards, and 31 yards. His one-field goal miss did not matter as the Vikings game away with a one-point win. It seemed at first that Romo would be a simple fill-in for Reichard. However, the Vikings will need to look over this situation carefully.
A win-win for the Vikings Kicking Situation
It looks to be a win-win situation for the Vikings. It is not easy for a team with Super Bowl hopes to choose between two solid young kickers. Both of these kickers have been rolling and are showing teams that they plan on sticking around in the long run. In the NFL, it feels common to see a team experience a kicker carousel. Whether it’s because of an injury or a struggling performance, it’s easy for a team to change its kicker. The Vikings having two red-hot kickers does not seem like a tough decision to make at first. However, it is extremely important for this team. The Vikings need to decide which kicker they can ultimately trust for their playoff run.
Main Image: Daniel Bartel – USA Today Sports
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