Vikings Place Tender on Kicker Greg Joseph

EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings have put a right-of-first-refusal tender on Greg Joseph, a move that means the kicker will likely hold down that spot for Minnesota for the second straight season.

The 27-year-old Joseph was a restricted free agent entering the offseason, but he would have become an unrestricted free agent at 3 p.m. (CT) Wednesday with the start of the NFL’s New League Year.

The tender is for one season, meaning Minnesota now has the right to match any other contract offer Joseph receives from other teams.

However, this move by the Vikings likely means Joseph will be the team’s kicker again for the second straight season.

Joseph made 33 of 38 field goals (86.8 percent) in 2021 and impressed with his range on multiple occasions.

In fact, his seven successful field goals of 50-plus yards were the second-most in a single season in franchise history.

Joseph’s solid season included walk-off winners against the Lions (54 yards) and Packers (29 yards), and he also hit a 53-yarder at the end of regulation against the Bengals to send the game to overtime.

It’s worth noting that Joseph also missed a 37-yard attempt in Week 2 that would have lifted Minnesota over Arizona.

Joseph made 36 of 40 extra points (90 percent) and led the team with 135 total points, which is tied for the third highest in a single Vikings season

Joseph also recorded touchbacks on 76 of his 94 kickoffs, good for a touchback rate of 80.9 percent. That stat was the highest among all qualifying kickers in 2021.

He joined the Vikings in the spring of 2021 after spending the 2020 season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad.

Joseph played in 14 games with Cleveland in 2018. He made 17 of his 20 field goals, with a long of 51 yards and hit 25 of 29 extra points. He also kicked off 69 times with the Browns that season, recording 47 touchbacks.

Joseph then spent part of 2019 with Tennessee. He did not attempt a field goal for the Titans but made all nine extra points in two regular-season games. Joseph made his only field goal and all nine extra points he attempted in the postseason.