Zane Gonzalez isn’t the only young kicker whose rough Week 2 will cause a relocation. The Vikings are cutting ties with fifth-round rookie Daniel Carlson, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
In Carlson’s place, the Vikings will go with experience by signing Dan Bailey, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Bailey figured to draw interest from multiple teams after kicking issues impacted multiple games on Sunday, and he’ll join up with a Super Bowl contender.
While interest came Bailey’s way, it appears he was willing to wait for the right opportunity. Four teams offered Bailey a contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). A dome team coming off an NFC championship cameo piqued his interest.
The second-most accurate kicker in NFL history, Bailey did not make the Cowboys’ active roster. Salary concerns helped lead him out of Dallas. He’ll be in Minneapolis in time for Week 3 and can be expected to provide more consistency than Carlson gave the veteran-laden Vikings roster.
That said, the Vikings are cutting the cord on a young kicker quite early. Minnesota drafted Carlson to lead to a Kai Forbath cut. The Vikings had just re-signed Forbath this offseason but jettisoned him for Carlson this summer. Carlson will be an interesting waiver item for a team keen on seeing if the coveted Auburn prospect can quickly rebound.
Carlson missed three field goals in Minnesota’s 29-29 tie in Green Bay, the last of which coming from just 35 yards out. Two misses occurred in overtime.
The 30-year-old Bailey made the 2015 Pro Bowl and has 27 career 50-plus-yard field goal makes. Missing four games due to injury last season, Bailey made 15 of 20 attempts and 26 of 28 PATs. He’s made 88.2 percent of his career field goal tries (second only to Justin Tucker‘s 90.3 percent) and closed three seasons — 2012, ’13 and ’15 — with a 90 percent-plus conversion rate.
We better get Dan Bailey
Two minutes before you posted this article stated plainly that was happening..
updates can happen while someone is typing… you’re aware that this site often posts something as small as a two sentence blurb before they fill in with details, right?
This is good news. I couldn’t handle that again.
Just added Bailey and dropped Carlson in my fantasy league
Let’s rock, Danny
I told my buddy, I’m gonna laugh if he misses another game winning FG…he did, and I did. then said this dude just lost his job. I’m like a prophet
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that if a kicker misses 3 field goals in a game he’s not gonna have a job
Thank God!!!! The boy cost them a game. Can’t have that crap when you’re a serious SB contender.
Pfft. The referees gave the Vikings the game with that call on Clay Matthews. Beyond insane.
I am firmly on the NFL Is Broken bandwagon.
Bummer.
That was definitely nothing more than a cameo by the Vikings in the NFC championship.
Do your job, or you won’t have a job.
Christmas came early for the queens yesterday. That ref must have had money on the game. Not as bad as the Seattle screwjob, but this is pretty close.
the vikings had to sign bailey at any cost, you cannot be a super bowl contender and be missing 2 field goals in overtime against your biggest division hated rivals
Poor guy would’ve only missed one if they don’t gift the Vikings that roughing the passer. Refs cost the packers the game and this kid his job
fitting that the new Aaron Rodgers rule goes against Rodgers and the pack. dont hear you packer fans complaining when Everson Griffen was flagged for the same weak shit Matthews got flagged for.
If you think the Packers weren’t the beneficiaries of some crappy calls directly or indirectly resulting in points you didn’t watch the whole game.