The Minnesota Vikings used a sixth-round draft pick in 2024 on Alabama kicker Will Reichard and moved on from previous kicker Greg Joseph in favor of the all-time NCAA Division I FBS scoring leader.
Reichard is off to a great start with the Vikings this season. He connected on all nine field goal attempts through five games, including three kicks from beyond 50 yards. He also made all 16 of his extra-point tries and has been successful in earning a touchback on 83 percent of his kickoffs,
Former Vikings player making life miserable for a new fan base this season
This hasn't been as good of a season for Greg Joseph. The former Vikings placekicker is a member of the New York Giants this season and hasn't been making a positive impact on his new franchise thus far.
In Week 6, his field goal kicking against the Cincinnati Bengals severely hurt the Giants' chances of knocking off Joe Burrow's team on Sunday. Joseph had two field goal attempts that missed in the fourth quarter, one from 47 yards and one from 45 yards.
The Giants are 2-4 on the season and 0-3 at home. They can't afford to miss scoring opportunities, especially since the NFC East seems to be up for grabs with the Dallas Cowboys struggling, Washington Commanders looking good, and the Philadelphia Eagles seeming very beatable.
Joseph was good against the Seahawks and Cowboys but also failed to connect on his only field goal try against the Browns. His inconsistency will likely have Giants fans paranoid every time he lines up for a kick this season.
Minnesota Vikings fans know that feeling all too well. Kickers have always held a tough place in the team's history and even though Will Reichard is off to a great start this year, some fans are likely just waiting for the heartbreak to begin.
At the moment, it looks like the Vikings made a wise move by spending a draft pick on Reichard. Last season, Joseph was a solid kicker from inside 40 yards but struggled to connect on any kicks longer than that.
There is plenty of time for Greg Joseph to turn things around with the New York Giants, but the 30-year-old kicker is definitely not making a great impression by missing all his field goal tries in half of his games played this season.