### Vikings to Debut New Specialists Amid Key Injuries

As the Minnesota Vikings gear up for their next game, they face significant changes in their special teams lineup. Due to recent injuries, the team will be introducing kicker John Parker Romo and long snapper Jake McQuaide, both of whom were re-signed following a tryout at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan.

These changes come after kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola were placed on injured reserve. Both players sustained injuries during the Vikings' recent victory against the Colts and are required to sit out a minimum of four games. The earliest they can return is December 8 against the Falcons.

Romo, a 27-year-old making his NFL debut, was undrafted out of Virginia Tech in 2022 and had a brief stint with the Vikings earlier this offseason before being cut at the start of training camp. He is poised to showcase his skills against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday.

Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels emphasized the difficulty of replacing two specialized positions so close to a game, noting that it requires the utmost synchronization. He highlighted the challenges by saying, “You don’t want to go into it with the expectation of Will going this week and then find out he's not feeling his best by Friday. We don’t want to put him in a bad situation."

Meanwhile, McQuaide, a seasoned 36-year-old, brings veteran experience to the squad. He has had a long and successful career, notably appearing in 200 NFL games, primarily with the Rams. Viking’s head coach Kevin O’Connell, who once shared a season with McQuaide while coaching for the Rams, is familiar with his capabilities and consistency.

DePaola, 37, encountered his injury during a tackle in the fourth quarter of the game against the Colts. Reichard, the rookie kicker out of Alabama, had been dealing with leg soreness and strained his right quad further during the game. Despite a strong start in his NFL career, converting 14 out of 16 field goal attempts and all 23 extra-point tries, Reichard missed his first two kicks on Sunday after a streak of 34 successful attempts.

Despite these setbacks, the Vikings have opted not to make any additional moves before the NFL trade deadline. General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who recently made trades to acquire left tackle Cam Robinson and running back Cam Akers, remains careful with future draft pick allocations, especially with limited options available for 2025.

In a recent roster change, the Vikings saw guard Tyrese Robinson signed off their practice squad by the New England Patriots. Originally undrafted out of Oklahoma, Robinson had spent 14 months with the team after being cut by the Eagles post-2023 training camp.

As the Vikings navigate these unexpected changes, they remain focused on maintaining their performance levels and building on their recent successes.