Countdown Questions — #9: Is the Vikings Kicker Battle Genuine?
With the full Vikings roster soon to arrive at training camp, PurplePTSD is counting down the top 10 pressing, perplexing, and puzzling questions as the fateful day – July 25th – inches closer. Today’s focus rests on the #9 question:
Who is going to win the Vikings kicker battle?
If we push things back even further, we could even wonder if there will be a genuine kicker battle. After all, the Vikings did sign competition for Greg Joseph last offseason. The issue was simply that Gabe Brkic was gone before training camp began, undermining the competition before it could fully get going. Does the current offseason have something different in store?
The Vikings Kicker Battle as the 2023 Camp Nears
If things went smoothly for Joseph last season, the emphasis on a kicking battle would be greatly diminished. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always smooth sailing for the South African kicker.
As we’ve mentioned before, Greg Joseph was brought back on a 1-year deal that comes with a $2 million cap charge. Cutting him would leave behind $1.7 million in dead money. In other words, a rookie would need to clearly show he’s the better option since the team isn’t dealing with a situation where cutting the vet means recouping major cap space.
Enter Jack Podlesny, who has been given the nicknames Hot Pod and Padawan.
At Georgia, Podlesny did well but was far from an airtight, ironclad option. He put together an 82.4 FG% across his 3 seasons alongside a 98.9 XP% (don’t forget that college XPs are chip shots from just in front of the goal line). The numbers are solid but won’t blow anyone away.
From distance, Podlesny had some struggles. The scouting profile on the NFL’s website highlights the issue: “Podlesny has kicked in some big games, but he missed two attempts in a narrow victory over Ohio State during last season’s playoff semifinal. He also has a poor success rate on kicks from distance. Consistency and power are key, and Podlesny falls a little short in those areas.”
In the NFL, Podlesny will need to prove himself capable of overcoming these struggles. If he doesn’t, he may bounce around the league as camp competition and as practice squad insurance.
Meanwhile, Joseph had his own struggles from deep, only going 4-for-10 from 50+. In other words, 6 of Joseph’s 7 misses came from distance (with the other one coming from the 40-49 yards range). Very curiously, Joseph struggled with extra points even though he was money with short FG kicks. For the season, Joseph missed a half dozen extra points.
Everyone likes ST coordinator Matt Daniels, so many have been reluctant to send criticism in his direction. Nevertheless, it’s tough to avoid the reality that Minnesota’s special teams simply weren’t very good last season. Glimpses of greatness got brought down by a dull punt return game, a step back for Kene Nwangwu, lapses in coverage, and some very inconsistent field goal kicking.
The final portion of that recap – the inconsistent field goal kicking – is something that’s not going to sit well with Vikings fans. The Gary Anderson miss, Blair Walsh shank, and various other instances of kicking heartbreak have given the fanbase a collective sense of dread when a kicker takes the field.
Greg Joseph is a likable player. He’s candid and honest, openly human in a business that prefers players more akin to gladiator status. His spot on the team isn’t secure in 2023; on the contrary, he’ll need to fend off the attack of a young upstart coming from a major college program.
The veteran has shown resilience in the past, a necessary mental characteristic to be an NFL kicker. He’ll need to lean on that quality once again to re-establish himself as the Vikings’ K1.
Editor’s Note: The “Countdown Questions” series is a 10-day look at some of the most important questions facing the Minnesota Vikings as training camp nears. Be sure to keep swinging by to check out the latest installment and to read what has already been covered: #10.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, Sports Reference CFB, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
