Minnesota Needs An Unexpected Hero
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
In 2013, the Minnesota Vikings signed Adam Thielen as an undrafted free agent. Two years later, Rick Spielman snagged Stefon Diggs in the fifth round. By the 2017 season, Theilen and Diggs were arguably the best 1-2 receiver group in the league and Minnesota made it all the way to the NFC Championship.
Back in 1990, John Randle walked in the door undrafted. Four years later, Robert Griffith did the same. During that mythical 1998 season, while the offense was busy setting records, both Randle and Griffith played enormous roles for a defense that helped the team give fans their most memorable run in decades.
What does any of this have to do with anything?
As camp dawns on a new season of Vikings football, much of the enthusiasm around the team revolves around high-profile draft picks. J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner join an impressive list of Minnesota first-rounders that includes Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, and Jordan Addison.
In the NFL, though, the gems a team can uncover in the later rounds of the draft, or hidden in a sea of undrafted free agent players, are often every bit as important as the big-name picks.
For this team to truly take a step forward they will need one or two heroes that come out of nowhere and take the league by storm. Here are two potential difference-makers heading into camp.
The Continued Ascension of Ivan Pace
Last year we saw incredible potential from linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. Now we will see if having legitimate supporting talent around him, as well as another season in Brian Flores’ system, can elevate the young playmaker. It seems obvious to bet on Pace’s upside. He has a motor the likes of which is usually tied to upper-tier superstars and a supreme level of confidence to go with it. He has usurped higher draft picks on the depth chart through his consistent effort and growth.
Pro Football Focus ranked him 23rd in linebackers coming into 2024 stating “The undrafted Pace has already proven that he deserved to have heard his name called in 2023, with his ability as a blitzer immediately translating at the NFL level. He finished his rookie season with a 78.0 PFF pass-rush grade after registering 15 quarterback pressures from 109 pass-rushing snaps.”
To see him take the next big step, Pace’s offseason priorities were on his “footwork, coverage, and eyes.” Given how hard he’s worked to get here, you can believe he’ll have improved in those areas.
Ending the Kicking Insanity
It may seem silly to put a kicker in the conversation of people who could wind up amongst the likes of Randle, Diggs, or Griffith. If you think that’s silly, though, acquaint yourself with the reality of Minnesota’s kicking situation. This article isn’t long enough to go into the storied history of kicking disasters that have plagued the Minnesota Vikings for over two and a half decades.
A truly elite placekicker can be a team changer. Guys like Justin Tucker instill confidence while completely opening up a coach’s offensive options in a way that most of the rest of the league will never get. Will Reichard might be a rookie, but he has a pedigree unlike anything this team has seen recently.
He’s the NCAA’s All-Time Leading scorer, having made 84 of his 100 field goals and 295 of his 297 extra-point attempts. In 2023, he went 22-for-25 on field goal attempts, which included all five of his kicks over 50 yards.
Additionally, Reichard spending his college career in Alabama suggests an ability to rise to the moment. After all, not many teams find themselves in more big-time games than the Crimson Tide. Time after time during his college career, Reichard was tasked with making a big-time kick, and all he did was deliver.
If either or both of these guys ascend to a Pro Bowl level or better, the sky is truly the limit for the Vikings. They have high-level first-round talent all over their roster, and a huge chunk of cap space coming their direction. With all eyes on the superstars heading into camp, it will be important to watch the potential ascension of these two unheralded gems.
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