Vikings Training Camp 2021: Top 5 takeaways from Day 2
By Adam Carlson
Greg shows off the leg
On Day 1 of training camp, one of the takeaways was that rookie kicker Riley Patterson was riding the bike on the sideline instead of getting some kicks in during tamp. While that’s not the end of the competition, it does shift it in favor of veteran Greg Joseph.
The good news is that Joseph went a perfect 5/5 on his kick attempts at the end of the practice according to Judd Zulgad on Twitter. That shouldn’t be enough to make everyone feel comfortable and end the competition, but it should be a little reassuring.
Joseph is a perfect nine-for-nine on his extra-point tries as a pro with the Browns and the Titans. He also made 17 of his 20 field-goal tries with Cleveland, good for a conversion percentage of 85. Judging by those numbers, accuracy doesn’t seem to be a major issue.
Since he has NFL experience, it’s also good to know that nerves likely won’t be an issue. Sometimes the pressure of kicking as a professional gets to a young placekicker and it can be a bit overwhelming. This should move Joseph even further ahead in the race and make it even more difficult for Patterson to catch up.