The Minnesota Vikings have placed rookie kicker Will Reichard and veteran long snapper Andrew DePaola on injured reserve as of Tuesday, necessitating immediate adjustments to two key positions for a minimum of four games.
To fill these vacancies, the Vikings are expected to sign John Parker Romo as the new kicker and Jake McQuaide as the long snapper, according to a source familiar with the situation who requested anonymity since the contracts have yet to be officially confirmed.
Romo, 27, has yet to see action in an NFL regular-season game. He joined the Vikings in March but was released shortly after training camp began when Reichard, a sixth-round draft choice from Alabama, secured the kicking role.
Initially starting his college football career at Central Arkansas and Tulsa, Romo later transferred to Virginia Tech, where he concluded his college tenure with an impressive 2021 season, making all 34 extra-point attempts and converting 18 of 22 field-goal attempts. He has also briefly been part of the rosters for the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions and played for the San Antonio Brahmas in the XFL during 2023.
McQuaide, 36, brings 14 years of NFL experience, having spent a decade with the Rams, including their time in St. Louis and later in Los Angeles. His final season in Los Angeles coincided with Kevin O’Connell’s first year as the team’s offensive coordinator. Notably, Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels played alongside McQuaide for two years and later served as his assistant special teams coach with the Rams.
In addition to his time with the Rams, McQuaide has also filled the long snapper role for the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, most recently participating in a practice squad capacity with Chicago last month. Over his career, he has played in 190 regular-season games and 10 playoff contests.
Reichard is sidelined with a quadriceps strain after an impressive start to the season where he converted all 14 field goals and 20 extra points across the first seven games. The injury appeared to occur after he missed a 53-yard attempt and hit a 31-yard try off the upright in the second quarter of the game against Indianapolis. Daniels expressed confidence in Reichard’s toughness, noting that he managed to complete the game, successfully kicking all three extra points in the second half and handling three kickoffs.
Currently, Reichard boasts a field-goal accuracy of 94.9%, ranking him third among all kickers with at least 15 attempts in the league, closely following Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell and Washington’s Austin Seibert. His record also includes being one of the four kickers with over 20 attempts who has converted every extra point this season.
On the other hand, DePaola is set to undergo minor surgery on his hand due to an injury sustained during the game on Sunday. A Pro Bowl selection in the previous two seasons and named an AP All-Pro for 2023, DePaola has maintained a consistent presence in the lineup since joining the Vikings (6-2) halfway through the 2020 season.
Both Reichard and DePaola could return from injured reserve in time for the game against Atlanta on December 8. Before that, the Vikings will compete against Jacksonville this week, followed by games at Tennessee on November 17, at Chicago on November 24, and a home match against Arizona on December 1.