Vikings rookie kicker Will Reichard is scheduled for an MRI on Monday to assess the severity of his right quad injury, he revealed after the team’s win over the Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium. He had been experiencing some soreness prior to the game and aggravated the injury in the first half but managed to keep playing with the help of a heat pad on the sidelines, he told the Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer.
At some point in the first half, I’m not sure if it was during a field goal attempt or a kickoff, he felt some tightness,” said head coach Kevin O’Connell. “It’s definitely something we need to keep an eye on moving forward.
Before this game, Reichard was the only kicker in the NFL who had not missed any attempts this season; the 23-year-old sixth-round draft pick from Alabama was a perfect 14 for 14 on field goals and 20 for 20 on extra points. However, that streak ended on Sunday. He missed a 53-yard attempt wide right in the second quarter and then surprisingly hit the right upright on a 31-yard chip shot with 17 seconds left in the half.
Despite not being fully healthy, Reichard successfully made all three of his extra-point attempts in the Vikings’ 21-13 victory.
The results of his MRI on Monday will determine if he can play in next Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. If he is unable to play, the Vikings will need to bring in another kicker, likely signing a free agent unless they opt to select one from another team’s practice squad. A trade for a kicker could also be an option, but that would only make sense if Reichard’s injury is serious.
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