John Parker Romo, you have competition.
Parker Romo is currently the only kicker on the Minnesota Vikings roster but head coach Kevin O’Connell made it abundantly clear Monday that there will be a kicker competition ahead of the 2024 season.
“We added Romo to the mix and obviously whether it is possibly a draft pick or post draft, that’s a position where I look at it where we really want a competitive position,” O’Connell said, making remarks on the opening day of the team’s offseason program.
“It’s a pretty easy evaluation when you put one or two guys competing against each other, possibly more, where you can truly put them in tougher situations. High-pressure situations, even in front of training camp crowds, even in front of their teammates in the spring with some circumstances on making a kick or missing a kick. You can really start to see how guys respond. I really do want to have a competitive situation.”
Minnesota has a vacancy at kicker after Greg Joseph, who became a free agent in March, signed with the rival Green Bay Packers.
Parker Romo appears to have the inside track since he was Minnesota’s first choice this offseason, and unless the Vikings burn one of their limited number of picks in the April 25-27 draft there won’t be another name competing with him until Minnesota identifies and brings in someone else as an undrafted rookie free agent or a veteran looking for work.
The Vikings have nine picks in the draft, but none in the second and third rounds.
- Round 1: #11, #23
- Round 2: None
- Round 3: None
- Round 4: #108, #129
- Round 5: #157, #167
- Round 6: #177
- Round 7: #230, #232
