The Minnesota Vikings are among the franchises in the league that always try to take advantage of the resources and programs that the NFL has to offer, and that became even more evident after seeing the team's crop of undrafted free agents.
At first glance, the Vikings' undrafted free agent list doesn't look very notable, but a short dive into the list shows that the purple and gold are once again taking advantage of the International Player Pathway Program.
In the past, Minnesota has brought in several international players to earn the roster exemption. The list of international players joining the team includes players like Germany's tight end Moritz Böhringer in 2016, France's defensive lineman Junior Aho in 2023, and Australian punter Oscar Chapman in 2025.
Minnesota Vikings are approved for roster exemption for rookie punter Brett Thorson
After the 2026 NFL Draft, the Vikings announced their undrafted free-agent signings. Included among the names is punter Brett Thorson, a six-foot-two, 235-pound prospect from Melbourne, Australia.
On Tuesday, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson shared on X that the Vikings received a roster exemption for Thorson under the NFL's International Player Pathway Program.
It was moderately surprising to see Minnesota bring in a punter after they signed veteran punter and holder Johnny Hekker earlier this offseason. However, it makes a lot more sense now that we know he will not count against the roster limit.
The 26=year-old punted for the University of Georgia before getting his invite to join the Vikings for training camp. He won the Ray Guy Award in 2025, which is given to the most outstanding collegiate punter each year, proving he could have the potential to push a veteran like Hekker.
With a name like Thorson, it feels like a great match that the international punter would join Minnesota as an undrafted free agent.
Vikings fans are already happy to welcome placekicker Will Reichard back to the team, but he is set to be without big-bodied punter Ryan Wright, who performed duties as a holder on special teams for Minnesota.
What at one time looked like a slam dunk for Johnny Hekker to be the next punter for the Vikings now becomes an open competition where the team and Thorson have nothing to lose.
But the 36-year-old veteran may have to beat out the young Australian if he hopes to be on the field when the purple and gold take the field during the 2026 NFL season.
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