NEWSLETTER
Football fans know how excellent Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has been for a while now. But what gets lost in the mix is that the Ravens also had Graham Gano, Wil Lutz, and Stephen Hauschka in camp over the years. And now we can add a new name to the list of lively legs catching eyes of outsiders in Baltimore.
In the Ravens’ preseason opener, Tucker’s backup Kaare Vedvik went 4-for-4 … including this impressive 55-yard strike:
https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1159623970364071936
Maybe there is something in the water in Baltimore. Or perhaps the Ravens front office simply knows what to target in good-looking kickers and has a feel for how to properly develop them as professionals. In any case, let’s take a moment to discuss Vedvik, the latest Baltimore kicker to make waves with his big boot.
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley reports the Bears have been linked to Vedvik during the offseason, but they are not alone. Hensley also points out the Cardinals and Jets as teams who could be in the market to acquire Vedvik to solidify their kicking situation. Vedvik’s profile is certainly the rise after Thursday’s performance. And if you tack on his 8-for-9 showing last preseason, Vedvik is 12-for-13 in preseason kicks over the last two years — or 92.3 percent for those of you who need those numbers spelled out for you.
Vedvik was a target who crossed our radars early in the offseason as someone to keep an eye on during the summer when kicking competitions opened up. And when a hypothetical trade of a first-round pick for Tucker was thrown out there, we circled back to the idea of dealing a lesser pick instead. During Thursday’s preseason loss to the Panthers, Bears TV play-by-play voice Adam Amin said the team was looking for its own Justin Tucker. And while finding the next Tucker will not be easy, perhaps that guy is sitting behind him on the depth chart.
Let’s keep an eye on this situation, because the Bears will not be the only team having an obsessive kicker watch this summer.
