Vikings rookie puts on a show during Minnesota’s practice on Saturday

When the Minnesota Vikings selected Alabama kicker Will Reichard in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he immediately became the favorite to be the team's kicker for the upcoming season despite other options on the roster.

Now, there is no competition on the roster for Reichard. The Vikings recently parted ways with John Parker Romo, leaving a clear path for the 23-year-old special teamer to have the job when Week 1 of the regular season rolls around.

Will Reichard has yet to raise any questions based on his performances at practices. He has been consistently making kicks, which led Minnesota to feel comfortable enough to eliminate his competition.

Vikings rookie puts on a show during Minnesota’s practice on Saturday

The NCAA's all-time career points leader, Will Reichard is no stranger to long or clutch kicks. His impressive college experience is great on paper, but his performance in a purple and gold jersey is what will set him apart from other kickers.

Will Ragatz of Sports Illustrated shared that Saturday's practice session included an impressive kicking session from Reichard that entertained those in attendance. Minnesota's kicker connected from 33, 42, 46, 48, and 53 yards out before moving even farther back.

"For the cherry on top, Reichard's last attempt came from 58 yards out. He calmly went through his approach and blasted the football well above the crossbar to complete a 6-for-6 session. The kick would've been good from 65."

- Will Ragatz on Will Reichard

It's difficult to be better than perfect during a practice session, but Will Reichard is looking like a great investment for the Minnesota Vikings. Hopefully, this means that the team has found a consistent kicker with a big leg to hold down the job for many years, but fans know better than to get their hopes up too high with this franchise's history with kickers.

Kickers don't get enough love in the NFL. Putting points on the board is what kickers are expected to do on a regular basis and failing to accomplish that can directly lead to frustrating losses that could have been victories.

For now, Will Reichard is looking the part of an NFL kicker. His impressive practices and training camp are no guarantee that he will be a consistent kicker when the regular season rolls around, but it's definitely a good sign he could be up for the challenge.

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