Vikings sign Forbath

[Lee Borgersen]

Vikings make Forbath signing official after cutting Walsh.

 Associated Press · Nov 16, 2016

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The Minnesota Vikings have finalized their contract with kicker Kai Forbath, their replacement for Blair Walsh.


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Forbath kicked for New Orleans in 10 games last season after being let go by Washington after one game largely because the Redskins wanted to improve their kickoffs. Forbath made 87 percent of his field goal attempts (60 for 69) in three-plus seasons for Washington, the second-best rate in team history, but he had only 18 touchbacks in 2014, which was the second fewest in the league.

Between the Redskins and Saints in 2015, Forbath went 10 for 15 on field goals and 35 of 36 on extra points.

The Vikings also have signed rookie offensive tackle Rashod Hill off Jacksonville's practice squad, after losing Jake Long for the season to an Achilles tendon injury.

[Lee Borgersen]

                                UPDATED:

 November 16, 2016 at 7:40 pm

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Kai Forbath had to hustle Tuesday to get to Minnesota. Now he plans to stay awhile.

The Vikings signed Forbath to replace struggling place-kicker Blair Walsh on Wednesday, a day after agreeing to terms — and a day after Walsh was waived by the nose-diving Vikings.

“He had a great career here,” Forbath said. “I know he did really well for a long time. I’m just here to take one kick at a time, and hopefully be here for a long time.”

Forbath worked out for the Vikings last week and was home in Los Angeles on Tuesday when informed he would be replacing Walsh, who spent four-plus seasons with Minnesota after being drafted out of Georgia in 2012.

On Wednesday, Forbath was practicing kicks at U.S. Bank Stadium in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Walsh struggled in the wake of his missed 27-yard field goal in the waning seconds of a 10-9 playoff loss to Seattle in January, going 12 of 16 on field-goal attempts and 15 of 19 on extra points this season.

Forbath was one of six kickers to audition last week before the Vikings decided to give Walsh one more chance. They finally ran out of patience after he missed an extra point in Sunday’s 26-20 loss to Washington.

“It was something we felt like we needed to do, kind of move forward,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “We’re all accountable for things we have to get done. I think we gave him a lot of opportunities. Although Blair’s a great kid and it’s hard to do, it’s just part of the business. … It just comes down to doing your job.”
Asked whether Walsh’s playoff miss still hangs over the team, Zimmer said, “It wasn’t a distraction to me.”

Forbath played for the Redskins from 2012-15 and spent time last season with New Orleans. He has made 69 of 82 field-goal attempts in his career, 84.1 percent.

“He’s been accurate,” Zimmer said. “He’s kicked before (in the NFL), and then he had a UCLA connection with the snapper and the holder.”

Forbath was teammates at UCLA with Vikings long snapper Kevin McDermott and holder and punter Jeff Locke, although they never worked together in a game. Forbath has worked out with McDermott and Locke for several offseasons.

“This isn’t my first time coming in to replace somebody,” Forbath said. “It’s nice having Jeff and Kevin in here. I’ve worked with them in the past. I feel confident.”

Forbath, who joined his teammates for an afternoon practice Wednesday at Winter Park, didn’t deny replacing Walsh is bittersweet.

“It’s tough because I’ve known Blair since high school kicking camps,” he said. “I feel for him. I’ve been in the same situation. I learned the hard way. It’s a tough business, and I obviously wish him the best and I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

Walsh made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2012 and signed a four-year, $13 million contract extension in July 2015. But he never seemed to overcome his miss against the Seahawks.

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“Blair is one of my best friends, and he will be for the rest of my life,” McDermott said. “But it’s a business, and it’s not always a business that is kind. … It’s vicious sometimes. …  But he’s going to get an opportunity somewhere else, and I believe that he’s going to be successful in the future.”

McDermott said he talked to Walsh after he was waived but declined to share any details of the conversation.

“I’m sad for the guy, but at the end of the day, I understand this is a business, and you have one job to do, and you’ve got to do it,” guard Alex Boone said.

Forbath was let go by Washington after Week 1 in 2015, in part because he struggled on kickoffs. He went on to kick in 10 games for New Orleans last season.

Forbath said he has improved his kickoffs and expects to handle those duties for Minnesota, although Locke handled kickoffs when they were teammates at UCLA.

Forbath is known more for his accuracy than his leg strength, although he kicked a career-long 57-yard field goal last year for the Saints — and said he’s confident his range might be “a little further.”

  Vikings’ new kicker plans to stick around for along time


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