Johnny

Hekker

The Vikes will go with Georgia product Brett Thorson instead. The writing had been on the wall for most of training camp, at least as much as that is possible in a “punting battle.” One of the final St. Louis Rams, 36-year-old Hekker has been punting in some form or fashion since 2012, but he is no longer an All-Pro type talent. He will nevertheless undoubtedly be kicking at some point in 2026 if he wants to continue his career.

Hekker is a 14-year veteran, spending time with the Rams, Panthers, and Titans. He was a four-time All-Pro with the Rams early in his career and averaged 46.8 yards per punt with the Titans last season. The Vikings now fill the punter role with Hekker on a one-year deal.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the deal is fully guaranteed. Hekker has been named an All-Pro four times in his career, and he likely will be punting an awful lot for one of the worst offenses in football.

Tremble has been limited in back-to-back practices for the Panthers. The 24-year-old missed Week 1 with his issues, but he has a good chance of making his season debut against the Chargers in Week 2. Jadeveon Clowney was also limited for the Panthers on Thursday with his ankle issue, and punter Johnny Hekker with a back injury.

Hekker, 32, was released by the Rams earlier in the week in a salary-cap move. The three-time All-Pro had a bit of a down season by his standards last year but still possesses one of the bigger punting legs in the league and can be an asset on special teams.

The move will soon be official, according to The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. Hekker, at a massive 6'5" and 240 pounds, is what many would consider a real football player kicking the ball for a living. For years Hekker has been an elite fake-punt thrower of the football, keeping opponents off balance anytime the Rams faced fourth and short near midfield. Hekker, 32, a four-time Pro Bowler, will see significant interest on the open market.

They also placed P Corey Bojorquez on the COVID list. It’s unclear if Hekker and Bojorquez actually tested positive or if they’re just close contacts. Either way, the Rams are without a punter for their preseason game tonight against the Raiders. There is still plenty of time before the season, so the most likely scenario is that both players are good to go for Week 1. For tonight, the Rams will either have to find an alternate punting option or go for it every time.

The extension includes $3 million in guaranteed money. Hekker now has five years and $18.8 million left on his deal with the Rams. Life as an NFL punter sure sounds nice.

Hekker is a big, long punter at 6-foot-5, 223, and the Rams believe he can solidify the position for the long term. “His really good balls are pretty close to (Shane) Lechler’s good balls,” special teams coach John Fassel said. Hekker is the favorite over Tom Malone to open the season as the Rams’ punter.

The Rams already had Hekker under contract for the next four years. This new deal guarantees him $10 million guaranteed and gets him under control for six years after Hekker initially signed a six-year, $18 million extension in December of 2014. The rare face of the franchise as a punter, Hekker is often tweeted about by the Rams’ Twitter account. Hekker is also very good at what he does, earning three All-Pro berths over the past five seasons.