10:03 am | September 1, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
The New York Jets claimed kicker Kaare Vedvik off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The Jets tried trading for him with Baltimore before the Ravens sent him to the Vikings last month for a fifth-round pick.
On Saturday, the Vikings waived Vedvik despite giving up that draft capital.
The Norwegian-born combo kicker was 12-of-13 on field goals during the past two preseasons in Baltimore before going 1-for-4 on such kicks with the Vikings. Upon arriving in Minnesota, Vikings coaches considered the idea of letting Vedvik handle both kicking and punting responsibilities, something he’d previously handled during his collegiate career at Marshall, though the difficulties in handling such a heavy workload — especially for a rookie — were noted.
Vedvik’s struggles became more frequent during the final days of the preseason. In Minnesota’s last practice before playing in Buffalo, Vedvik went 5-for-9 on field goals. Asked about what he has learned with handling kickers who struggle in the preseason, coach Mike Zimmer noted the role he needs to have in helping these players overcome hurdles.
The Jets have struggled to fill their kicking position this offseason after letting Pro Bowler Jason Myers sign with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency. Kicker Chandler Catanzaro signed with the team but struggled in training camp before retiring. Taylor Bertolet was then brought in, but he too has been shaky in the preseason.
The Jets also made three other waiver claims on Sunday: wide receiver Braxton Berrios (from Patriots), defensive back Barrett Jackson (from Ravens) and defensive end John Franklin (from Rams).
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin contributed to this report.
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