Minnesota Vikings Training Camp Competitions-Special Teams

After a few days of hashing out the Minnesota Vikings offensive and defensive training camp competitions, the special teams are up. That’s always fun. Kicking has been such a joy in Minnesota. The Vikings must find a kicker that can reliably kick field goals and extra points. Please. As Mrs. Flicker says, “You have one job!” Anyway, the Vikings return competition should be fun. Here’s a look at the special teams training camp competitions.

Kicker

Greg Joseph vs. Riley Patterson.

Greg Joseph is the veteran of the two. He kicked for the Cleveland Browns in 2018. He kicked in a couple games for the Tennessee Titans in 2019. He spent the 2020 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their emergency kicker. Despite being in the NFL for three seasons, he has about a single season of NFL kicking experience. Riley Patterson was signed this spring as an undrafted free agent. Joseph vs. Patterson. I’m guessing that Joseph has the edge heading into training camp. He made some kicks during offseason workouts. Patterson missed some kicks and some practices. 

Punter

Britton Colquitt

There’s no punting competition. Britton Colquitt was essentially assured of his third season with the Vikings when his competition for the job was released to make room for defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.

Returns

With Percy Harvin, Marcus Sherels, and Cordarrelle Patterson the Vikings had the best return game in the league for about a decade. The past couple of years have been nothing like those years. Various combinations of Ameer Abdullah, Chad Beebe, and K.J. Osborn have worried no opponents with their returns. The Vikings made significant moves in the 2021 NFL Draft to fix that. While they still have to earn the opportunities, the return jobs will probably come down to two players.

Kene Nwangwu vs Ihmir Smith-Marsette 

Kene Nwangwu was selected in the fourth round. That was earlier than expected for an Iowa State running back that was mostly a change of pace and gadget back. He was also a dynamite kick returner. While I think that the Vikings will find a way to get his electric speed (4.25-4.31, depending on who you’re asking) into the offense, it’s probably safe to guess that Nwangwu was drafted in the fourth round for special teams in mind. Ihmir Smith-Marsette was selected in the fifth round. He was a productive, explosive receiver at Iowa and is likely in the thick of the competition to be the Vikings third receiver role. His return ability and the Vikings need for his return ability had to be a factor in his selection. 

This competition will be fun. Simply due to his selection in the fourth round, I probably give Nwangwu the edge. Both were primarily kick returners in college. Their punt return abilities are an unknown. Maybe K.J. Osborn puts his disappointing rookie punt return season behind him and grabs the job. Going into training camp, I might have the return roles breaking down like this:

Kick Returns: Kene Nwangwu

Punt Returns: K.J. Osborn

After last season, it’s a stretch to have Osborn as the punt returner. I’m hopeful. It sounds like he looked better during the offseason workouts than he ever did last year. With Nwangwu as the main kick returner, Smith-Marsette can focus more on his receiving role in the offense. 

I can’t wait to see these youngsters return some kicks. It’d be nice to return to the returning days of Harvin, Sherels, Patterson. 

And find a kicker that can reliably kick field goals. Please.