Training camp is right around the corner. That means teams like the Minnesota Vikings are going to be tasked with the challenge of assembling a roster to be competitive during the 2025 NFL season and beyond.
Competition can bring out the best in players. There will be battles going on at multiple positions during training camp and the preseason, but not all of them have the players starting on a level playing field.
The Minnesota Vikings may have competition for punter Ryan Wright, but that doesn't mean the team is in a hurry to move on from him.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic recently published a Minnesota Vikings mailbag article that answered the questions that fans have about the team heading into the upcoming season. In the piece, Glen M. inquires about the situation at punter, and that was cleared up effectively.
Although the Vikings were close to the bottom of the league special teams DVOA the last three seasons, there doesn't seem to be a great reason to think that Ryan Wright might be on his way out of Minnesota.
"Nothing from the spring says the Vikings are desperate to move on from Ryan Wright. They appreciate his holding ability. Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels also values continuity in his room."
Lewis also mentions undrafted free agent Oscar Chapman. The former Auburn special teamer should have an opportunity to showcase his skills, but it would likely take an incredible performance to beat out Wright for the job.
Inconsistency has plagued Ryan Wright over the years, but keeping continuity between the kicker, punter, and long snapper for another season could help the unit to become more consistent moving forward.
At 25 years old, Wright still has plenty of time to find his groove in Minnesota. Will Reichard and Andrew DePaola form the other two legs of the special teams trio, where Wright acts as the team's punter and holder.
"Maybe the Vikings prefer the known versus unknown at this spot, but it is one of those sneaky positions that could bite them in meaningful games deep into the winter."
Adjusting the group of special teams players would be a roll of the dice. Gambling that Chapman can outperform Wright regularly is a bit scary, but there is a chance the undrafted rookie could play well enough to force the Minnesota Vikings to make a change.