If this is it for Vikings replacement kicker Parker Romo, it was a successful run
Since signing with the Vikings last month, replacement kicker Parker Romo has pretty much seen it all.
He scored every single point in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, battled through some adversity in a win over the Tennessee Titans, played hero in a win over the Chicago Bears, and came up clutch in a win over the Arizona Cardinals.
With rookie kicker Will Reichard on the verge of returning from a quad injury, however, Romo’s time with the Vikings is slowly coming to an end. As soon as Reichard is activated from injured reserve, which could come as soon as this week, Romo will be looking for a new job.
Not that special teams coordinator Matt Daniels is worried about Romo finding work.
“He’s been through the ups and downs of pressure situations from a kicking standpoint in the NFL,” Daniels said. “He’s answered the bell and showed that he’s deserving of being 1 of 32.”
That wasn’t the case last month when Romo was making ends meet by working at a local golf course in Fayetteville, Ark. Though he has always had the talent to play at the highest level, he simply hadn’t been given a chance to prove himself on that stage.
His life changed when the Vikings called him in for a tryout. After doing enough to earn a contract, Romo impressed in his NFL debut, and he hasn’t looked back.
If this is indeed the end of the road for Romo, the Vikings provided him with a platform to bolster his resume. He went 11 for 12 on field goals, and 7 of 8 on extra points, which should help him keep his name in the conversation for the foreseeable future.
“I’m so thrilled that as an organization we were able to give him this opportunity,” Daniels said. “He maximized it and it’s going to propel his career forward. I truly know that. If he’s not with us, he’s going to be somewhere.”
Moreau steps up
It’s still up in the air if veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore will be healthy enough to play against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. He’s dealing with a hamstring injury and his status will be closely monitored this week.
The next man up is is veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau. He was recently thrust into action in a close game against the Cardinals, and while he allowed a touchdown in coverage, defensive coordinator Brian Flores highlighted the way that Moreau competed on such short notice.
“He was confident going in,” Flores said. “I thought he played really well.”
That’s exactly why the Vikings signed him back in training camp.
“He’s an experienced player who’s made a lot of plays in his career,” Flores said. “You knew at some point we were going to need him and he was ready to go.”
Robinson stands out
It’s been a crash course for left tackle Cam Robinson since the Vikings acquired him in a trade last month. He’s done his best to learn as much as he can on the fly, leaning on left guard Blake Brandel and center Garrett Bradbury whenever he has questions.
The growth that Robinson has displayed has stood out to offensive coordinator Wes Phillips.
“It’s a hard thing to come in when he did and start right away,” Phillips said. “There’s a lot of terminology, and then when he gets some of the terminology down it’s like, ‘Oh yeah. This is what we call it when we go no huddle.’ ”
If anything is clear after watching Robinson play against the Cardinals, it’s that he’s starting to come into his own.
“There was a comfort level with his understanding of what we’re doing,” Phillips said. “You saw that in his play.”
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