Vikings Officially End One Roster Competition, Pick a Starter
For the majority of the offseason, Ryan Wright has been competing to maintain his spot as the P1. That competition is now over.
The Vikings’ official social media sent along news of a pair of subtractions alongside an addition. The word: “The #Vikings have signed WR Justin Hall and waived P Seth Vernon and WR Ty James.” Swapping the receivers gives the team a chance to work the WR depth a bit more, but perhaps the main news is that Vernon has been let go.
Vikings Officially End Punter Competition
Earlier in the offseason, Will Reichard won his battle.
The No. 203 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was going toe-to-toe with John Parker Romo to be the K1 in Minnesota. Reichard received praise far and wide for his consistency and power, traits that have been on full display during the preseason. Romo has been cut and Reichard is running unopposed.
Andrew DePaola, of course, has also had his spot locked down. The All Pro is one of the best in the business, so Minnesota didn’t feel a need to bring in direct competition for the veteran long snapper. He and Reichard have been the main guys for a while now.
Wright’s ascent to the top spot hasn’t been as clear.
Ryan Wright took a step back as a sophomore. The 2022 UDFA had a great rookie season, averaging 42.3 yards per punt and only booting a single touchback. The 2023 season, however, went much differently. There were 7 touchbacks and the yards-per-punt average dropped to 41.6.
In response to the regression, the Vikings added Seth Vernon. For a little while, though, it has appeared like Wright has been in the lead.
The subtle hint from earlier in the offseason was that Wright was leading the battle since he was getting to hold for Reichard’s kicks.
During the preseason, Ryan Wright proved to be more effective, too. The opening game featured Wright booting the ball 3 times for a 57.0 average to stand alongside a net of 45 yards per punt. He landed 1 inside the 20. Meanwhile, Vernon averaged 45 yards while netting 36 yards.
Against Cleveland, Wright continued to do good things. He booted the ball a trio of times and averaged 44.3 yards per kick. A pair landed inside the 20, which is what Minnesota is looking to see.
Ryan Wright, 24, will carry a $986,668 cap charge into the season.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.
