Does the Jordan Berry Decision Foreshadow More Surprising Moves?
K. Joudry
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Count me among those who believed the veteran Jordan Berry would win the punting job.
All things considered, the former Steelers punter performed well for the Vikings last season. He put forth his best-ever punt yard average – 46.5 yards – in his lone season punting for Minnesota. Through a couple preseason games, Berry has played well, but not well enough to stick around. The team has decided to move ahead with Ryan Wright.
Does this decision foreshadow more unexpected moves?
One thing I’ve learned at various points since beginning to write about the Vikings is that fans & writers often see things differently from coaches & executives. What’s perceived as a good option by folks outside the NFL often doesn’t seem like a good option to those inside the NFL.
Jordan Berry, according to the conventional wisdom, had the leg up in the punting competition. That’s a perspective that ended up being misguided. Are there other veterans assumed to be on the team who aren’t a lock to make the roster?
Earlier in the offseason, we learned that Albert Wilson was let go. Wilson is a veteran with some solid seasons behind him. For some, the decision to move on likely came as a surprise. However, the Vikings have had much more recent success with the receivers they draft and/or sign as UDFAs than they do with free agents. Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, K.J. Osborn, and several others have all been brought in in this manner.
When it comes to surprise cuts, I wonder about positions with a fair amount of depth. Receiver, for instance, has a lot of talent. We’ve already seen Wilson cut; will there be any other surprises? There are quite a few players at corner, along the defensive line, and then competing for spots for the iOL. In the not-too-distant future, the Vikings are going to be making some difficult decisions at these positions.
In other words, don’t assume that the Jordan Berry cut is the only surprising move we’ll see in the coming days. We’re getting closer to the 53-man roster, so the team will need to release some players. Perhaps we’ll see a couple more surprises.
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