Oct 2, 2011; Kansas City, MO, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell (8) kicks off in the first half of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 22-17. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

It was around this time last year that the Vikings released a key Special Teams player by the name of Ryan Longwell.  The Vikings replaced the veteran Kicker with a rookie in the draft by the name of Blair Walsh.  To many Vikings fans, this was an unpopular move and left them wondering if the rookie could live up to the high standard that was set by Longwell.  Longwell had been very consistent as the Vikings Kicker, but was starting to lack the ability to kick it deep.

Jan 5, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh (3) kicks a field goal in the first quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Fast forward to the end of last season.  We discovered that Blair Walsh not only has the power and accuracy to kick field goals, but can be a master on kickoffs.  Walsh also made a couple game winning kicks which showed he has the ability to to be a clutch kicker as well as connect on kicks in the cold weather.  Some of them were from a long, long distance.  Soon, fans forgot about Ryan Longwell and started praising Blair Walsh for his impressive skills.

Sept 3, 2011; Houston, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins punter Jeff Locke (18) kicks an onside kick against the Houston Cougars during the fourth quarter at Robertson Stadium. Houston won 38-34. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports

This year, we are in a similar situation.  The Vikings used a mid round draft pick on Punter Jeff Locke from UCLA.  Locke shows a lot of flexibility and promise as a player.  Locke can really do it all as a Punter.  Not only can he punt with excellent power and accuracy, but he is a fantastic holder on kicks and can even handle kickoff or field goal duties if needed.  He has all the skills to be an excellent Punter at the next level.

Oct 9, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe (4) against the Arizona Cardinals at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Cardinals 34-10. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Fans are skeptical again though.  This time, the veteran that was released was Punter Chris Kluwe.  Although Kluwe is still a good punter, he had dropped to being rated as in the bottom half of the league and had a couple pretty awful looking punts last year.  Despite his struggles, Kluwe was still a fan favorite in Minnesota.  His activity on social media really helped fans embrace him.  He is well known for his political activism and outspoken nature.  Many fans are very upset to see him go.

The advice to give these fans is this:  trust the Vikings.  They made an excellent decision with Blair Walsh that paid off very well last year.  Before sending the new Punter angry tweets or over reacting about Kluwe’s release, remember that the Vikings have a direction they want to go with this team and fans should just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Jan 21, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; East place kicker Blair Walsh (57) of Georgia before the start of the East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field. The West won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-US PRESSWIRE

TVA previews the 10 storylines that will be consuming our lives starting on July 26 when the Vikings report to Mankato (full camp schedule now available from Vikings.com).

10. Breaking in Blair Walsh

The Vikings surprised many by drafting a kicker all the way up in the sixth round, then heaped more surprise on top of that by cutting relatively well-compensated veteran Ryan Longwell. No pressure on you Blair Walsh. All you have to do is validate the Vikings’ decision to spend a draft pick on you and replace one of the most reliable kickers in recent NFL history. Go to it lad.

In truth there’s nothing Walsh can really prove in training camp. He’s a kicker. We know he can put it through the uprights in practice. But, because he’s a kicker who was drafted and subsequently chosen over the steady veteran without any competition, he will be in for tons of scrutiny even if it is only practice we’re talking about. There will doubtless be daily updates about Walsh’s performance, via Tom Pelissero’s Twitter (that guy’s such a trouble-maker). What’s his percentage? How deep’s he kicking it from. How’s he handling the wind? And we’ll need daily reminders that none of this matters because it’s not game action.

How I Hope This Will Play Out:

Ideally, Walsh will hit enough kicks to keep any doubters at bay, and go into the preseason with some confidence that he can build on into the real season. Cause we’re going to need him in the real season. The Vikings figure to be in tons of late game pressure situations while they’re making their run to the playoffs. SARCASM ALERT. Yes I’m a jerk.

How I Hope This Will NOT Play Out:

Two words: Kicker yips. Fifteen misses in a row all badly wide left, two so badly wide left that innocent bystanders are injured. Leslie Frazier shaking his head with fatherly disappointment. Blair Walsh needs psychological counseling. Chris Kluwe invites the poor kid over for some video games and cheese popcorn, hoping to console him. Then Chris goes on a harangue about Roger Goodell’s indifference to punter safety followed by a two hour dissection of everything that’s wrong with the new Assassin’s Creed and Walsh totally breaks down. The Vikings are forced to cut him. He ends up in a Turkish bath house with Charlie Sheen (I’ve been informed that you don’t want to end up in a Turkish bath house with Charlie Sheen).

Next Time: #9 – Percy Harvin Watch

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Dec 4, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell (8) during the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at the Metrodome. The Broncos beat the Vikings 35-32. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE

The news today was supposed to be all about the House stadium vote. But that changed abruptly mid-afternoon when it was announced that the Vikings had cut long-time kicker Ryan Longwell.

The first indication of Longwell’s departure came from Longwell himself. “To all in Viking Nation. Can’t thank you enough for your cheers over the past 6 years! You’ve been awesome to me and my family. God Bless!” the kicker tweeted. That message caused buzz to the say the least. Moments later the beat reporters confirmed all the speculation created by the tweet. Longwell was out after six years with Minnesota.

When you really think about it though, maybe we shouldn’t be that surprised. The Vikings did use a sixth round draft pick on Blair Walsh, and teams don’t normally spend a pick on a kicker unless they plan on using him. Keep in mind also that, after years of being super-reliable, Longwell did miss a few relatively easy kicks in 2011. There was also the issue of Longwell’s length on kickoffs, a problem that led the Vikings to flirt with the idea of carrying a kickoff specialist for a time two seasons ago.

Despite the questions about the 38-year-old Longwell, it was assumed there would at least be a competition in camp this year. But now that question is settled. Rookie Blair Walsh will kick for the Vikings in 2012 while Ryan Longwell looks for work elsewhere.

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