Let The Competition At Special Teams Begin
K. Joudry
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Greg Joseph and Jordan Berry will be the kicker and punter in 2022. Or, they could be beat out by players who are more deserving of the starting spot. Their deals suggest that competition is almost certainly going to heat up as the offseason proceeds. The Vikings special teams will thus be one of the more fascinating spots to monitor before the 2022 season begins.
In the NFL, money is king. We know with 99.99% certainty that the plan is for Kirk Cousins to be the starting QB because his deal suggests he will be. Folks, they aren’t giving him that kind of money so he can sit on the bench.
We can also use the financial litmus test for players on the other end of the financial spectrum. Instead of a deal that’s north of $30 million (and fully guaranteed), Joseph and Berry have completely unguaranteed deals. Releasing Joseph would clear his entire $2.433 million cap hit; releasing Berry means clearing his entire $895,000 hit. For whatever it’s worth, long snapper Andrew DePaola finds himself in the same spot. None of his $1.035 million is guaranteed.
So, all three of the main specialists are set to return. All three could be cut if a better option emerges.
One of the discouraging parts of the offseason was seeing the team lose Ryan Ficken. The young coach did a nice job of resurrecting the 2021 Vikings special teams. Matt Daniels is now in charge, and his opening press conference left fans feeling encouraged. Like pretty much everyone who has been brought in, Daniels has a great energy that points to the franchise’s new direction.
As it stands, the strength of this Vikings team is its offense. The defense has taken steps forward, but massive questions remain. In other words, the special teams will likely need to be top notch for the Vikings to find some success. The ability to consistently win the field position battle while getting clutch field goals will go a long way in ensuring this team has a shot of pushing for the playoffs.
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