The Most Infamous Position in Vikings History Is a Battle Once Again
Josh Frey
|
No it isn’t the quarterback position, as much as Kirk Cousins’ detractors may like it to be.
Instead, it is the infamous position of kicker that has given headaches to different teams throughout Vikings history. Whether it be Gary Anderson’s miss in ’98, or Blair Walsh’s 27-yarder in 2016, just about every generation of Vikings fan has a “what if” missed kick that they can look back on.
Greg Joseph’s saga has gone a bit differently, though. Folks will remember the missed game-winner in Week 2 of the 2021 season, but other than that, the newest Vikings kicker has been extremely clutch when it matters most.
However, everything else has left much to be desired, particularly in 2022. Joseph could not buy makes from beyond 50 yards last season, hitting just four of his 10 attempts from that distance. His 40% hit rate from 50-plus yards ranked 29th among the 32 kickers that had multiple attempts from that far out during the 2022 season.
Joseph missed a league-high six extra-points, and his XP percentage of 87% ranked 24th out of 26 qualified kickers with 28 or more attempts.
Somehow, again in complete contrast to Vikings history, the kicking woes didn’t matter at all. Minnesota finished the 2022 season with an 11-0 record in one-possession games, with five wins being sealed by Joseph’s leg. Ironically, Joseph’s kick to seal the deal against the New York Giants on Christmas Eve came from 61 yards out.
While Joseph was clutch during the 2022 season, it appears that the kicker job is once again up for grabs during training camp. The contenders are imcumbent Joseph and undrafted free agent Jack Podlesny, who spent his collegiate career kicking for the Georgia Bulldogs.
During a press conference late last week, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels suggested as much, saying, “Last year, we had Jordan Berry, we had Mr. (Ryan) Wright. It was a punting competition. This year, we have Greg Joseph and Jack Podlesny, and it’s a kicking competition. The goal is — we’re looking to compete at every single aspect, every single level of every single position. It is a kicking competition between those two.”
You’ll remember that last year, Mr. Wright was able to supercede imcumbent punter Jordan Berry during camp, an outcome that surprised many at the time. It proved to be the correct decision, with Wright placing fourth in the NFL in terms of punts inside the 20 yard-line, totaling 32 on the year. He also booted the seventh-longest punt of the season, a towering kick that traveled 73 yards.
Podlesny must now be taken seriously in this kicker competition. This is especially so considering his collegiate resume. During his three years at Georgia, he made 182 out of 184 extra points, and he hit 82.4% of his field goals, nailing 61 of 74 attempts. He also played under the brightest of lights in college football by kicking during both of Georgia’s national title runs in 2021 and 2022.
It will certainly be an interesting battle to follow throughout camp, especially considering the clutch gene that Joseph has acquired during his time with the Vikings. However, regardless of the outcome, Daniels has proven during his time in Minnesota that he knows which buttons to push on his special teams units.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.