Report: Vikings acquire new kicker in trade with Ravens

The Minnesota Vikings reportedly acquired kicker Kaare Vedvik from the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round draft pick.

It’s been very clear that improving their kicking situation has been a top priority for the Minnesota Vikings this year. Well, it sounds like the Vikings are continuing to make sure that their kicking game is not an issue during the upcoming 2019 season.

Minnesota has acquired kicker Kaare Vedvik in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday. In order to land Vedvik, the Vikings are sending a 2020 fifth-round draft pick to the Ravens.

Vedvik spent all of last year on Baltimore’s NFI list after the team signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Marshall. Originally born in Norway, he is coming off a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars last Thursday in which he made a total of four field goals, including a 55-yarder.

Interestingly enough, Vedvik actually has the ability to be either a punter or a placekicker. During the game against the Jaguars, he also punted the ball twice and both were over 50 yards. In his four years at Marshall, he handled the team’s punting, kickoff, and field goal duties.

So it’s possible that Minnesota might have actually acquired Vedvik to be their new punter this year and not their new kicker.

This may actually make more sense given the Vikings’ recent frustration with current punter Matt Wile and his inexperience as a holder on field goal tries. Giving Wile the boot and using Vedvik as both their punter and emergency placekicker behind Dan Bailey seems like a believable outcome from this trade.

One thing is for sure though, Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman didn’t just trade a draft pick to acquire someone they’re going to cut before the regular season. Who exactly Vedvik will be replacing though is something that is still yet to be determined.