Minnesota has been tormented with inconsistent kicker play for years, but Dan Bailey’s resurgent 2019 helped ease some worries.
Bailey, after making 75% of his field goal attempts for two seasons in a row, went 27-29 last season for the Vikings. If he stays at or near that sort of production, the Vikings won’t have to worry about the kicker position.
The return game is more up in the air, though.
On punt returning, Mike Hughes led the team with 14 attempts in 2019. Hughes, however, might earn a bigger role on the defense after departures in free agency at cornerback.
The team also used Marcus Sherels, who had six returns. Sherels has a 50-50 chance of retiring, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
On kickoffs, the Vikings mostly utilized Ameer Abdullah, who they re-signed this offseason. Abdullah led the team with 13 attempts.
The Vikings special teams unit looked good at times in 2019. Here is what should stay the same and what else needs to happen, in order for the Vikings to find success in that area.
Find a new punt returner
Like I said, Sherels might not be back, and the Vikings could use a returner who brings something different to the table, even if Sherels is on the team again.
K.J. Osborn, a wide receiver out of Miami that the Vikings drafted this year, could be that different dimension in the return game.
Sherels rarely makes mistakes, but isn’t a threat to pick up big yardage. In addition, Sherels ended his season with a muffed punt against the 49ers. He also bobbled a ball earlier in the game.
Osborn had 201 kick return yards on 10 attempts for Miami in 2019. On punt returns, he had 255 yards on 16 attempts in his final collegiate season.
Here’s what Spielman said about Osborn:
“We think he has a legitimate chance of winning the punt return and the kickoff return jobs with his explosive speed and power,” Spielman told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press and other reporters.
That bodes well for his chances, and I think he’d be a great fit on punt returns for the team.
Have the team keep up the solid work on blocks
Last offseason, the Vikings hired Marwan Maalouf as special teams coordinator.
Maalouf coached a unit that saw punter Britton Colquitt have a career-high 42.6 net yards, in addition to a career-low 62 punts during the 2019 regular season, the Star Tribune reported.
However, before his time with the Vikings, Maalouf was known for his special teams unit blocking field goals and punts.
Maalouf held his position with Miami for six seasons, and the Dolphins blocked eight punts during that stretch, the most in the NFL. On field goals, the Dolphins blocked six.
In 2019, the Vikings blocked one punt and they got a hand to Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal. Last season marked the first time since 2014 that the Vikings blocked a punt. Hopefully, the team’s success in that area continues.
Have Dan Bailey repeat his 2019 success
Bailey had a stellar 2019, but before that, he had looked shaky.
As I mentioned earlier, Bailey had a field goal percentage that dipped to 75% in 2017 with the Cowboys and in 2018, his first season with the Vikings.
His 2019 campaign looked different. He made a little over 93% of his field goals, in addition to over 90% of his extra points.
Bailey is now 32, and there are plenty of kickers who are older than him, but there are also plenty of players who hit walls at later ages. Was Bailey’s 2019 a sign of more to come or a bounce before a decline?
We’re going to have to see how 2020 plays out. If Bailey starts missing, it becomes imperative that Minnesota finds an adequate kicker to replace him. I don’t have to remind Vikings fans what can happen if a kicker misses an important field goal.
