HEADLINES

Will Reichard

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/24

December 7th, 2024 at 8:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor transactions, including gameday practice squad elevations:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Eagles starting tight end Dallas Goedert has been placed on injured reserve, so Jenkins will come up from the practice squad for a little added depth.

Vikings Open Practice Windows For K Will Reichard, LS Andrew DePaola

December 3rd, 2024 at 11:50am CST by Ely Allen

DECEMBER 3: Both Reichard and DePaola have officially returned to practice. Their practice windows are now open ahead of being activated as early as Week 14.

DECEMBER 2: The Vikings are hoping to get their main special teamers back this week. According to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, head coach Kevin O’Connell told the media that both kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola will have their 21-day practice windows opened this week.

A sixth-round rookie out of Alabama, Reichard was having an impressive first year in the NFL before landing on injured reserve. Reichard had converted 14 of 16 field goal attempts, including four of five from beyond 50 yards, and recorded a long of 58 yards. He also converted all 23 of his extra point attempts, a big ask for a player in their first season of dealing with the yardage jump of an extra point from college to NFL football. Reichard tried to battle through a quad issue last month before ultimately landing on IR.

Minnesota is in no rush to bring Reichard back before he’s ready. John Parker Romo has filled in admirably for Reichard in the interim four games, hitting on 11 of 12 field goal attempts with a long of 55 yards, though he has missed one of his eight extra point attempts. The team likely feels confident letting Romo continue to fill the kicking duties until Reichard can return with no risk of reinjury.

At long snapper, the Vikings will also be looking to return an All-Pro in DePaola. The veteran has been in Minnesota since the 2020 season and finished as a second-team All-Pro selection last year after being first-team in 2022. 37-year-old Jake McQuaide has been filling in since DePaola was placed on IR following hand surgery. After three practice squad elevations, the team was forced to sign him to the active roster for this past week’s game, so in order to make room for DePaola on the 53-man roster, McQuaide will likely need to be waived.

Once the Vikings make the official designation for the two specialists to return to practice, it will open the 21-day window for each player in which they can return to practice in an attempt to officially show they can be activated from IR. If either player is unable to return following the 21 days, they will be returned to IR and be unable to get activated for the remainder of the season.

Vikings To Place K Will Reichard On IR; Team To Add K John Parker Romo, LS Jake McQuaide

November 5th, 2024 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Perfect on field goals until Sunday night, Will Reichard will see his rookie season interrupted by injury. After battling through a quad issue in Week 9, the Vikings kicker is headed to IR, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

The Vikings are bringing in John Parker Romo, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, and making an injury-driven long snapper change. With Andrew DePaola going down, Garafolo adds Jake McQuaide is coming aboard.

This will mark some noticeable changes for the Vikes, who saw DePaola go down with a hand injury that will require surgery. McQuaide will stay in the NFC North, having made his previous two career stops with the Lions and Bears. Chicago released McQuaide from its practice squad last week.

A sixth-round pick out of Alabama, Reichard started his season 14 of 14 — including a 4-for-4 connect rate from 50-plus yards. He missed two kicks Sunday night, doing so as the quad injury hindered him. The Vikings, who moved on from three-year kicker Greg Joseph this offseason, will turn to Romo while the rookie recovers.

Prior to adding Romo, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the Vikes worked out Tristan Vizcaino. Randy Bullock was also at this audition, per KTSP’s Darren Wolfson. The Giants released Bullock this week; he had been serving as their Graham Gano fill-in.

Romo is 27 but has yet to kick in an NFL game. Like McQuaide, he has a past in Detroit and Chicago — along with New Orleans — but spent time with the Vikings this offseason. Minnesota, however, waived the former UDFA in July. Having kicked at three schools (Central Arkansas, Tulsa, Virginia Tech over a six-year period), Romo kicked in the XFL in 2023. That marks his only regular-season game experience since college. That figures to change soon.

This is poised to be McQuaide’s first action this season. A 10-year Rams veteran who snapped in Super Bowl LIII, McQuaide caught on with the Cowboys in 2021. After two Dallas seasons, the now-36-year-old snapper played for the Lions last year. This will mark a third straight season of part-time duty for McQuaide, who caught on with Detroit midway through last season and played just four games with Dallas in 2022.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/10/24

May 10th, 2024 at 9:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Yesterday’s rush of rookie signings continued today. Here are Friday’s draft pick signings:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

  • K Will Reichard (sixth round, Alabama)
  • C Michael Jurgens (seventh round, Wake Forest)
  • DT Levi Drake Rodriguez (seventh round, Texas A&M-Commerce)

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • G Mason McCormick (fourth round, South Dakota State)
  • DT Logan Lee (sixth round, Iowa)

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders