Which players are winning position battles for the Minnesota Vikings?
By Adam Carlson
Special teams: Bailey vs Vedvik vs Wile
For one of the first times since covering the Minnesota Vikings here, I can honestly say that just about anything can happen when it comes to the punter and kicker spots for the team. Strangely enough, the team’s seventh-round long snapper Austin Cutting is the only individual who seemingly locked down their spot and the rest is…complicated.
For a moment, it looked like both Matt Wile and Dan Bailey would be joining Cutting on the roster, but now there’s a chance one or both of them might be getting the ax when the team’s final cuts are made. And that has to be a little scary.
When the Vikings traded for Kaare Vedvik, the thought was that he would take over for Bailey, but his ability to punt, hold, kick field goals, and handle kickoffs means he could take nearly every job…with Chad Beebe handing the holds. If that did happen, it would open up a roster spot for Minnesota to add another talented player on offense or defense.
Minnesota needs to do the smart thing and ease the young specialist into things. The Vikings will definitely be keeping Vedvik because of their investment in him. Keeping a veteran like Bailey around him for a year can be a learning experience. After that, maybe Zimmer’s crew can consider a Vedvik-only kicking and punting situation.
Projected winners: Dan Bailey and Kaare Vedvik
Must Read. Best and worst from the Vikings Week 2 preseason game. light
Who do you think will be on the outside looking in for these position battles? And which other players are in a situation where they will need to have an amazing end to the preseason in hopes of earning a roster spot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!