K Lloyd Fits Well For The Vikings

Update:  Lloyd signed a two-year deal with the Vikings Monday night. (03/09/10)

As many of you already know, free-agent kicker Rhys Lloyd is expected to meet with Minnesota Vikings‘ officials early next week, as reported by Chip Scoggins (Star Tribune) via Twitter.

Lloyd not only played football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, he was an outstanding All-State soccer player at Eastview High School in Apple Valley.  I was a student at Eastview during his senior year as a kicker in the football program where he earned an All-Conference selection and an All-State selection.

His father worked at the high school as well.

But moving towards my point, I’ve watched this guy kick in high school and he has an amazing leg.  He kicked and made a few field goals from mid-field, and even kicked a few kickoffs over the field goal posts.

He actually didn’t play football until late in his high school career when the varsity football coach asked him if he wanted to placekick for the Lightning, knowing of his excellent ability as a soccer player.

Lloyd eventually went on to kick for the Golden Gophers where he is well-known for kicking the game-winning 42-yard field goal in the 2003 Sun Bowl to beat the University of Oregon 31-30.  Lloyd went undrafted, but had some stints with a few NFL teams as well as a stint in NFL Europa.

Lloyd finally somewhat found a home with the Carolina Panthers where he was used primarily as the kickoff specialist.  Lloyd even led the NFL in 2008 in touchbacks on kickoffs with 30 on the season.

This is where he fits in well for the Vikings.  Lloyd has an incredibly strong leg and would drastically improve the Vikings in the special team’s game.

Kicker Ryan Longwell didn’t regularly do kickoffs until he signed with the Vikings and he did well considering that.  The fact is though, Longwell is below average in terms of hang-time and distance on kickoffs, and the veteran kicker doesn’t have much room for improvement in that aspect.

Lloyd, 27, is certainly capable of taking over as the kickoff specialist and certainly has the ability to eventually become the replacement to Longwell who is set to turn 36 this offseason. At the very least, he’ll kick very long kickoffs.

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