Vikings Release Veteran Punter Jordan Berry, Re-Sign CB Tye Smith
Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels said there would be a "punt-off" during the final preseason game on Saturday night to determine who would be Minnesota's punter for the 2022 season. Veteran Jordan Berry was assumed to still be the favorite — in large part because of his chemistry with Greg Joseph as a holder — but undrafted rookie Ryan Wright was still firmly in the mix.
So much for that. The Vikings released Berry on Thursday, re-signing cornerback Tye Smith to take his place on the roster. Smith was released nine days earlier.
That means Wright, the rookie out of Tulane, will be their punter this season, unless they end up signing someone else. Wright has a slightly lower cap hit than Berry (though it's a fairly negligible difference) and at 22 years old, could be a long-term option if he pans out.
Berry, 31, spent six seasons as the Steelers' punter after going undrafted out of Eastern Kentucky. The Australian was released last August after losing a competition to a rookie, then signed with the Vikings to replace Britton Colquitt. Berry was decent in his one season in Minnesota, ranking in the middle of the pack in most metrics but closer to the bottom in a couple as well.
Both Berry and Wright punted five times for exactly 243 yards in the first two preseason games. However, Berry had slightly more hangtime, leading to a couple fair catches. His experience as a holder also makes this somewhat of a surprising move.
Smith being re-signed can be explained by the fact that the Vikings have several cornerbacks who are banged up right now. Andrew Booth Jr., Kris Boyd, and Parry Nickerson are all dealing with injuries.
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