Vikings Sign Former Oklahoma Kicker Gabe Brkic as UDFA, Waive Jordon Scott
The Vikings have signed former Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic to a three-year deal as an undrafted free agent, giving Greg Joseph some competition for that job this offseason.
Brkic had an outstanding career for the Sooners, spending the last three years as their primary placekicker. He went 17-for-17 on field goals as a redshirt freshman in 2019, then made 20 of 26 attempts in each of the last two seasons. In total, that's an 82.6 percent success rate (57 of 69). Brkic only missed one extra point in college, making 159 of 160.
In 2021, Brkic was one of the three finalists for the Lou Groza award given to the NCAA's best kicker. He showed off his big leg, tying for the most makes from at least 50 yards in the country with five of them on seven attempts. He made two kicks from 56 yards; only nine kicks were made from that distance or further in all of the FBS last year. The Athletic's Dane Brugler ranked Brkic as the No. 2 kicker in this year's draft class, behind only LSU's Cade York. York was the only kicker drafted, going to the Browns in the fourth round.
Joseph bounced back from a slow start to the season last year for the Vikings, but he hasn't done quite enough to be immune from competition. The veteran South African signed a one-year restricted free agent tender worth $2.433 million, but none of that is guaranteed. That means if Brkic beats him out this summer, the Vikings can cut Joseph with no financial ramifications.
Brkic became a fan favorite at Oklahoma because of his kicking ability, his swagger, and his signature mustache.
The Vikings waived nose tackle Jordon Scott, a 2021 UDFA out of Oregon, to make room for Brkic on the 90-man roster. Scott was expendable after the Vikings signed a UDFA nose tackle (Tulsa's Tyarise Stevenson) this year.
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