While Ryan Wright, 26, was serviceable over his four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, some fans grew frustrated with him. In the offseason, the team replaced Wright with veteran Johnny Hekker, 36, signing him to a one-year deal.
Even though Hekker has experience and a great resumé, it doesn’t mean that he is the perfect fit for the 2026 team. But it is a sterling resumé.
Hekker’s 1,041 punts have totaled 48,705 yards. An impressive 401 of them have put his opponent inside their own 20-yard line. Hekker has made four Pro Bowls and been a six-time All-Pro. He’s also a Super Bowl champion after winning Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams and has two records, including the longest punt in a Super Bowl (65 yards in Super Bowl LIII), and the highest net average punting yards in a season with 46 in 2016.
Hekker played in 10 seasons with the Rams, including their transition season from St. Louis to Los Angeles. He spent three years with the Carolina Panthers before last season, when he played for the Tennessee Titans. While his career numbers indicate he is still worthy of a spot on a roster, is Minnesota the right situation at this point in his career?
The Vikings will need whatever is left in Hekker’s leg as they go through growing pains, regardless of whether Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy wins the quarterback competition. However, Will Reichard could take some pressure off Hekker. He’s been reliable for the Vikings and holds the franchise record for the longest field goal.
However, undrafted free agent Brett Thorson could challenge Hekker in camp.
Thorson, 26, was a college football champion with Georgia in 2022. The Australian punter was selected in the first round of the CFL Global Draft but went undrafted in the NFL. He’s a two-time All-SEC second-team punter and a first-team All-American last year while also winning the Ray Guy Award for most outstanding punter.
If the Vikings do decide to trade Hekker or let him go, what would the consequences be? And would the end justify the means?
If they trade Johnny Hekker, they can use the cap space to ashreds another roster need. That’s the most likely option, because cutting him would result in $1.3 million in dead cap for the rest of the year. The Vikings would only take on $200,000 dead cap if they trade him, saving the team almost $1.1 million.
The expected return on a punter like Hekker would be a seventh-round pick in a future draft. However, a contending team that could use a veteran leg could offer up more, depending on their need for a punter. Trading Hekker for a late-round pick to create cap space would be worth it if the Vikings like Thorson.
Minnesota needed to pick up punting talent after letting Wright go in the offseason. Still, as the season progresses, we may ask: Was Hekker the right guy to pick up?
I believe Hekker will be the starting punter in Week 1. Still, if the season starts to get away from the Vikings, I would not be surprised if his name doesn’t pop up on a contender’s radar come the trade deadline, especially if Thorson is on the practice squad.
