You know it has been an active offseason for the Minnesota Vikings when fans get excited about a punter signing (not). But that's exactly what happened on Tuesday when the Vikings announced that the team has agreed to a deal with veteran punter Johnny Hekker.
Hekker and Minnesota have reportedly agreed to a one-year contract, according to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero. The details about the value of the deal have yet to be released.
Last season, the veteran punter was a member of the Tennessee Titans, where his 78 total punts were the second-most of anyone in the NFL. Hekker has been in the league since 2012, and during his career, he has been voted to four Pro Bowl rosters and selected as a First-Team All-Pro four times.
Minnesota Vikings sign punter Johnny Hekker to replace Ryan Wright
At the start of free agency last week, the Vikings found out they were going to need a new punter for next season when Ryan Wright left to sign a four-year contract worth $14 million with the New Orleans Saints.
Given the lack of spending money Minnesota has this offseason, they were never going to pay Wright that kind of money to stick around. So, an opening was created on the team's roster for not just a punter, but a holder on field goals and extra points as well.
That's where Hekker comes in because not only has he been a decorated punter for more than a decade in the NFL, he's also a longtime holder.
So, while the departure of Wright broke up the successful Vikings' kicking trio of him, kicker Will Reichard, and long snapper Andrew DePaola, Hekker should be able to fill the void well.
Unsurprisingly, Minnesota already had multiple connections to its new punter before he even agreed to a deal on Tuesday.
Hekker was a member of the Los Angeles Rams from 2012 to 2021, and during that time, current Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels was both his teammate (2012 and 2013) and coach (2018 and 2019), and Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell was the Rams' offensive coordinator (2020 and 2021).
So there will be plenty of familiarity when Hekker takes the practice field at the TCO Performance Center later this year.