Marcus R. Fuller, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. –
The Vikings showed Monday, May 7, why they picked a specialist for the first time in almost a decade in last month’s NFL draft, releasing one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, Ryan Longwell.
“It’s sad to see him go both as a friend and a teammate, but unfortunately that’s the reality of the NFL,” punter Chris Kluwe said. “It’s a business where eventually we’ll all get replaced. Now the focus is mainly going to be on Blair (Walsh) and hoping to get him to a spot where he can contribute to this team winning some games.”
The Vikings selected Walsh in the sixth round of the draft on April 28. Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said Friday at rookie minicamp that keeping two kickers on the training camp roster was “not in the thinking right now.”
It didn’t take the team long to cut that number in half.
“Ryan has meant a great deal to the Vikings organization both on and off the field over the past six seasons,” Frazier said in a statement Monday. “We wish him all the best in the future and thank him for his service to the Minnesota Vikings.”
Longwell signed a four-year, $12 million contract extension last year that included a $3 million bonus. But he will turn 38 in August, and he made just 78.6 percent of his field goals in 2011 (22 of 28), his lowest percentage since coming to the Vikings in 2006. He made 43 of 46 attempts (93.5 percent) the previous two seasons, best in the NFL.
“To all in Viking Nation. Can’t thank you enough for your cheers over
the past 6 years! You’ve been awesome to me and my family. God Bless!” Longwell wrote on his Twitter account, @4thandLongwell, on Monday.
Walsh struggled with accuracy during his senior season at Georgia, making only 21 of 35 field-goal attempts (60 percent), but his leg strength on field goals and kickoffs are a plus. He made 10 field goals of 50 yards or more in college. The Florida native was the first specialist the Vikings drafted since Idaho State punter Eddie Johnson in 2003.
Kluwe,
Longwell’s holder on field goals and extra points, said he and long snapper Cullen Loeffler are hoping to be “as cohesive a unit (with Walsh) as we were with Ryan.”
Kluwe said he sent a couple of humorous text messages Monday to Longwell about one of their favorite movies, “Anchorman.”
“I asked him, ‘Who am I going to exchange ‘Anchorman’ quotes with now?’ ” Kluwe said. “Any time you get cut, it sucks for the person involved, I’m sure. Whenever I eventually get released, it’ll suck for me. It’s just the nature of the NFL. We had some really good years here. He was really accurate every time he kicked. I’m going to miss him.”
Longwell went undrafted out of California 15 years ago, but he became the Green Bay Packers’ all-time leading scorer from 1997 to 2005, which included playing in Super Bowl XXXII.
After joining the Vikings in 2006 as a free agent, Longwell competed at a high level for most of his tenure. And his presence was crucial in 2010 in helping lure quarterback, close friend and former Packers teammate Brett Favre back for a second season in Minnesota. Longwell picked him up at the airport and drove him to Winter Park.
Staff reporter Brian Murphy contributed to this report.
