Getty Dan Bailey was cut by the Vikings on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.
Minnesota Vikings kicker Dan Bailey’s spot on the team’s roster seems to be secure after the 10th year veteran has missed seven kicks in the past two weeks, including three field goals and an extra point that played a pivotal role in a 12-point loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday.
The Vikings surprisingly cut Bailey’s backup Tristan Vizcaino on Tuesday amid speculation that Bailey’s job was the one on the chopping block. Minnesota has worked out two kickers for tryouts in Taylor Bertolet and Chandler Catanzaro, but due to COVID-19 protocols, neither kicker would have much, if any time, to get acclimated with the special teams unit before Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, leaving Bailey primed to retain his kicking duties for at least another week.
Larry Fitzgerald Sr., the son of Arizona Cardinals wide receiver and Minnesota native Larry Fitzgerald Jr., claims that the protocols are what have saved the veteran kicker his job.
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Why the Vikings Options Are Limited
GettyTaylor Bertolet was given a try out with the Vikings on Monday and is the only available player that could practice with the team before Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.
Observing the NFL’s revised COVID-19 protocols, players visiting teams’ home cities require a six-day entry testing period before they can join the team, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The Vikings brought in Bertolet on Monday and Catanzaro on Tuesday. Catanzaro is by far the more proven kicker, converting 119 of 142 field goals in his career — although he hasn’t kicked a field goal in an NFL game since Week 17 of the 2018 season. Catanzaro’s sixth day of entry testing would fall on Sunday, making his start on Sunday out of question.
Bertolet remains an option with his first day with the team falling on Saturday, potentially in time for walkthroughs. However, on paper, Bertolet is not a long-term answer to Bailey.
Bertolet has yet to make an NFL team since entering the league in 2016 and opted to join the Salt Lake Stallions in the Alliance of American Football (AAF) last season. He was 9-for-14 on field-goal attempts, an improvement upon his 66% of his attempts in college, although, not a large enough sample size to offer any optimism in starting Bertolet over Bailey.
Mike Zimmer Remains Coy on Kicker Decision
Zimmer, who has shown some growth in how he handles kickers in Bailey’s case, reverted to his curt demeanor in a Wednesday press conference.
When asked if Bailey would kick on Sunday, Zimmer responded:
“We’ll see.”
Will the team sign a new kicker?
“We’ll see.”
Will Eric Kendricks (who has missed the past two games with a calf injury) play?
“We’ll see.”
It’s clear Zimmer’s patience is wearing thin this season while balancing the added challenges of coronavirus with coaching up a retooled roster that is contending for the seventh seed in the playoffs, but with virtually no room for error.
Will Zimmer continue to keep his cool?
We’ll see.
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- Trevor Squire is a Heavy contributor covering the Minnesota Vikings and journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities. Connect with him on Twitter @trevordsquire and join our Vikings community at Heavy on Vikings on Facebook.