Tag: Blair Walsh

Greg Joseph ties Vikings record for longest field goal

The Vikings finally have a kicker they can rely on

The Minnesota Vikings have had their issues with kickers over the course of the last 20 years.

After cycling through kickers after Gary Anderson missed the game-clinching field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship Game, the Vikings seem to have found a really good one by happenstance.

After keeping Greg Joseph on the practice squad during the tumultuous 2020 season, he won the job before the 2021 season and rewarded the Vikings with a field goal percentage of 86.8%.

On Sunday’s 23-7 win over the Green Bay Packers, Joseph set a career-high in hitting a 56-yard field goal. In doing so, he tied the team record for longest field goal as well.

Set initially by Paul Edinger in 2005, Blair Walsh tied the record in his first game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012. Joseph hit his today with ease and was on the money all game long.

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Blair Walsh, John Denney return to Saints practice squad among 8 roster moves

The New Orleans Saints added specialists Blair Walsh and John Denney to the practice squad as emergency options for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There’s never a dull moment with the New Orleans Saints, especially on the eve of a playoff game. The Saints announced eight roster moves before Sunday’s kickoff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including the return of several backup specialists. Here’s the latest on each transaction:

Saints cut newly-signed specialists Blair Walsh, John Denney; what it means

The New Orleans Saints released veteran kicker Blair Walsh and snapper John Denney from their practice squad just a day after signing them.

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Well, that’s odd. The New Orleans Saints released veteran long snapper John Denney and free agent kicker Blair Walsh to their practice just one day after both players were signed to the practice squad. Saints coach Sean Payton explained the additions as emergency contingencies should their starters be unavailable for the playoffs, which is possible given the unpredictability of COVID-19. So what gives?

There are a couple of possible reasons for the quick turnaround. Bringing the players into the facility often requires them to be tested for the coronavirus along with everyone else each day, keeping their records up to date and easing the time limit for their activation should an absence pop up at the last minute. It’s likely that both Walsh and Denney will be reported to visit the team facility again in the days leading up New Orleans’ Divisional Round game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers so that their testing history remains accurate.

And as for the quick sign-and-release: this may have been done to guarantee both players receive a pay check for the week as members of the practice squad, even if they were technically only on the roster for a day. Both of them are in town practicing away from their teammates in quarantine, so it makes sense to find a way to pay them for their time (within the framework of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, of course).

So keep an eye out for more transactions involving these two. Other changes to the practice squad reported on the daily transactions wire for Wednesday included the release of wide receiver Jake Lampman, while three players were re-signed: defensive tackle Anthony Zettel, and wide receivers Austin Carr and Jake Kumerow.

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Sean Payton explains why the Saints signed an extra kicker and snapper

The New Orleans Saints signed a new kicker, Blair Walsh, and snapper, John Denney, which Sean Payton says are contingency plans for COVID-19

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The New Orleans Saints created a stir by signing two specialists to the practice squad, including former Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh. Given the poor performance from Wil Lutz, who kicked for the NFC at last year’s Pro Bowl, there was some speculation that Walsh could be pushing Lutz for his job.

Saints coach Sean Payton downplayed the roster moves on Wednesday, saying that these additions are contingency plans in case of absences at spots where the team usually retains just one player.

Walsh and long snapper John Denney will practice away from the team in their own quarantine should COVID-19 issues make Lutz or Zach Wood unavailable for the playoffs. Rookie punter Blake Gillikin is a candidate to return from injured reserve in a pinch, if Thomas Morstead were similarly sidelined.

So Payton didn’t want to be caught short-handed if the Saints were down a specialist. He joked about the possibility of being pressed into action himself, telling the Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Amie Just: “I don’t really feel like trying to kick, or hold, or snap.”

If all goes well, none of these players will get on the field for New Orleans any time soon. But it’s good to know that the Saints have backups on standby with plenty of NFL experience behind them.

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Saints activate D.J. Swearinger, shuffle practice squad for playoffs

The New Orleans Saints activated safety D.J. Swearinger from COVID-19 reserve and shuffled their practice squad for the postseason.

The New Orleans Saints filed a number of roster moves on the daily NFL transactions wire Monday evening, including the return of veteran safety D.J. Swearinger from the league’s COVID-19 reserve list. But the team also brought in emergency options for their specialists, like kicker Blair Walsh and long snapper John Denney.

Here’s a quick recap of each roster move:

 

Saints stock up on emergency options, sign long snapper John Denney

The New Orleans Saints signed veteran long snapper John Denney to their practice squad, adding another emergency option against COVID-19.

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The New Orleans Saints aren’t leaving anything to chance or COVID-19. They’ve added another specialist to their practice squad by signing long snapper John Denney, per his agent Ian Greengross.

Denney, 42, visited the Saints three times this season as a free agent. While he hasn’t played in two years, he was coached into a couple of Pro Bowls with the Miami Dolphins by current Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. He worked out alongside veteran kicker Blair Walsh twice in recent weeks, who also signed with the Saints practice squad.

So add them to the pile of “just in case” backups, along with practice squad quarterback Trevor Siemian and rookie punter Blake Gillikin (on injured reserve, where he can return from at any time). If everything goes according to plan, the Saints will continue marching through the playoffs with Drew Brees starting at quarterback, Wil Lutz at kicker, Zach Wood at long snapper, and Thomas Morstead at punter. But if any of them suddenly become unavailable, New Orleans has a fallback plan.

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Saints sign former Vikings K Blair Walsh to their practice squad

The New Orleans Saints reportedly are singing former Minnesota Vikings K Blair Walsh to its practice squad.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, New Orleans will sign former Minnesota kicker Blair Walsh to its practice squad.

“Never know when a COVID issue might arise during the playoffs, so they’ll keep Walsh in testing protocols as a contingency plan,” Pelissero said on Twitter.

Walsh last appeared in the playoffs for the Vikings in the 2015 season. I don’t think I have to tell Vikings fans what happened, but just in case: He went 3-4 on field goals, missing the would-be game-winner from 27 yards away, giving the Seahawks the 10-9 win.

Some of the Vikings’ playoff woes are on account of crucial missed kicks and Walsh contributed to that. The Saints also had a hand in knocking out the Vikings in the 2009 NFC Championship game.

Sure, the Vikings have gotten revenge with the Minneapolis Miracle and the overtime victory in 2019, but I’m sure Minnesota fans wouldn’t mind if Walsh missed some important kicks for New Orleans.

Saints to sign free agent kicker Blair Walsh to their practice squad

The New Orleans Saints will sign former Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh to their practice squad, per NFL Network.

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NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the New Orleans Saints will sign free agent kicker Blair Walsh to their practice squad as a potential fill-in should Wil Lutz be sidelined by COVID-19. It makes sense to keep an option in-house as an emergency replacement, but anyone upset by Lutz’s shaky performance in recent months won’t find Walsh to be much of an upgrade.

Walsh, 31, hasn’t kicked in an NFL game since Dec. 31, 2017. He’s only made two appearances in the playoffs with the Minnesota Vikings, missing a 27-yard try in the closing seconds of their 10-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in his last postseason action.

So keep hoping for Lutz to both remain healthy and to bounce back from the slump he’s found himself in. He’s only connected on 5 of his last 10 attempts since mid-November, and whiffed on a 50-yard field goal in the Saints’ playoff win over the Chicago Bears. He has to play better, whether he’s battling an undisclosed injury or simply caught in a rut.

Maybe competing with Walsh every day in practice can help him find his mojo again. But it shouldn’t be much of a competition given both kicker’s resumes.

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LOOK: SpongeBob superimposed on goalposts for Wil Lutz field goal try

Nickelodeon superimposed SpongeBob SquarePants on the goalposts for a long field goal try for New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz.

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Hey, I’d miss a field goal if a two-story SpongeBob SquarePants were staring at me too. But Wil Lutz doesn’t have that excuse, because the Nickelodeon broadcast only had the cartoon displayed for television with augmented reality technology for viewers at home.

So it’s frustrating to see the New Orleans Saints kicker send a 50-yard try too far to the right of the goalposts, meaning he’s completed just 3 of his last 7 attempts. He hasn’t been right since receiving attention from the Saints medical staff in their Week 8 game with this same Bears team. While New Orleans hasn’t listed him on the daily injury report with any issues, he’s clearly not kicking like we’re used to seeing.

For anyone wondering, the Saints have been bringing former Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh in regularly for free agent visits as an emergency option should Lutz be unavailable — possibly due to injury or a positive COVID-19 test. It doesn’t feel likely they’d turn to Walsh if Lutz continues to struggle, but it’s an option.

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Saints try out a pair of free agent kickers, work out LS John Denney again

The New Orleans Saints worked out longtime Dolphins long snapper John Denney, Chandler Catanzaro, and former Vikings kicker Blair Walsh.

The New Orleans Saints have taken a lot of hits in recent weeks, losing linebacker Kwon Alexander and wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith to injured reserve (and that’s before running back Alvin Kamara landed on the COVID-19 reserve list), but their interest in available free agents has been limited to the game’s third phase.

A trio of specialists, two kickers and a long snapper, tried out for New Orleans on Friday, per the daily NFL wire. Here’s what’s up with each of them: