The Minnesota Vikings have a knack for finding hidden gems, and they may have done it again with their latest undrafted free agent addition. While the 2022 NFL Draft is often remembered as a disaster in the Twin Cities, it did yield some surprising value—most notably in the form of punter Ryan Wright.

Wright, an undrafted rookie, beat out veteran Jordan Berry for the starting job and went on to spend three seasons with the Vikings before signing a lucrative deal with the New Orleans Saints in March 2026. Now, the team is hoping history repeats itself with another undrafted punter: Brett Thorson.

Thorson, an Australian product, brings plenty of upside—but there are a few red flags to consider. At 26 years old, he's older than most rookies, and his lack of experience holding for field goals in college is a notable concern. As USA Today pointed out, Georgia used quarterbacks to hold on field goals, which limited Thorson's reps in that crucial role. That may have contributed to him going undrafted.

This is especially important given that Vikings kicker Will Reichard is coming off a stellar 2025 season, earning first-team All-Pro honors. Whoever handles holding duties needs to keep that momentum rolling, not disrupt it.

But let's flip the script. Why should Vikings fans be excited about Thorson? According to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, the punter has "adequate drive power and above-average hang time" with "good leg extension." Those are exactly the qualities that make a punter dangerous—and the kind of raw tools that can be polished in the right system.

If Thorson can address his holding concerns and adjust to the NFL game, he just might be the next undrafted success story for a Vikings team that knows how to find value in the overlooked. By golly, they may have pulled it off yet again.