A Fantastic Vikings Problem Just Keeps Getting Worse
Every single NFL GM would gladly accept a Vikings problem that’s currently unfolding. Sinking draft picks into players who quickly skyrocket to the top of their position is what every team wants, even if there’s a hearty payday on the other end of the rookie deal.
Young kicker Will Reichard has very quickly become an elite option in the NFL. His debut season was perfect until he struggled with injury and some inconsistency afterwards. He then had a marvellous sophomore season that led to being honored as a first-team All Pro. Keeping him beyond his rookie contract — already half over, as hard as that is to believe — keeps getting pricier.
A Vikings Problem Sees Price Tag Climb
The latest news involving a kicker generating a substantial contract arrived on Monday, May 11th. Pittsburgh has given a substantial contract to Chris Boswell, as the league’s official social media explains: “Steelers agree to terms with kicker Chris Boswell on four-year, $28M extension through 2030 season.”
Crunch the numbers and Mr. Boswell has secured $7 million per season across those four years. That’s a great payday for a specialist, elite money that mirrors the first-place average for Brandon Aubrey over with the Cowboys (OTC). Even getting past $6 million per season is an elite list that involves a modest four NFL kickers.
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
At minimum, Will Reichard is capable of producing seasons that surpass both of Boswell and Aubrey. After all, he did so in 2025, playing better than each of these guys on his way to an AP1 honor.
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Look at the side-by-side numbers for all of these kickers:
| Will Reichard | Chris Boswell | Brandon Aubrey |
| FG: 33/35 (94.3%) | FG: 27/32 (84.4%) | FG: 36/42 (85.7%) |
| XP: 31/31 (100%) | XP: 42/43 (97.7%) | XP: 47/48 (97.9%) |
Clearly, Reichard had a more impressive season, especially upon considering that the kicks he made weren’t layups. The kid drilled 11/13 from 50+, with one of those misses possibly being hindered by a rebellious TV camera wire.
Where Boswell sees added difficulty is within the weather he encounters as a kicker operating in an open-air stadium. So, credit where it’s due.
What must be remembered is that football is always about the future. Moving forward, Boswell and Aubrey could prove better than Reichard. Or, perhaps, Reichard shows that last season was no fluke while continuing to kick the ball through the uprights with elite efficiency. Only the future can offer this form of certitude.
Mr. Reichard’s task involves proving capable of replicating his excellence. Sounds easy, but it’s genuinely not so. Kicking well often comes down to what’s between the ears; few positions, if any, involve carrying such a heavy burden on one’s psyche. Proving clutch for a long time just isn’t easy.
What can be said with certainty, though, is that Will Reichard is a bargain. His rookie contract involves him chewing up $1,117,655 in cap space for 2026. The number will get a boost in 2027, sitting at $1,232,655. Neither number accurately reflects his on-field importance.
Indeed, his play on the field suggests that he deserves much more than what a rookie contract affords. Boswell and Aubrey are the new gold standard for kicker contracts, but Mr. Reichard is going to blow their deals to smithereens if his 2026 performance mimics his 2025 performance.
NFL players are eligible to sign an extension following the third season. In other words, Will Reichard could plausibly demand a market-changing extension as early as next spring if he shines during the upcoming year.
Minnesota’s specialist is 25.
