Raiders Sign Another Former Viking
One former Minnesota Vikings kicker has struggled this season in Las Vegas, so the Raiders have turned to another ex-Viking as an insurance policy.
The Las Vegas Raiders made some roster moves ahead of Week 1, and one landed a former Minnesota Vikings specialist on the practice squad.
The new guy is named Greg Joseph, who kicked in Minnesota for three seasons, and he’s practice squad depth insurance in case Las Vegas pulls the plug on Daniel Carlson.
Former Vikings Greg Joseph to Raiders
It’s a big former purple kicker party in Vegas.
Joseph Extends Huge NFL Resume
Joseph is nearing half the league’s teams for his personal employment bingo board.
NBC Sports‘ Myles Simmons wrote Tuesday, “The Raiders have made a series of roster moves on Tuesday. Las Vegas announced offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson has been placed on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least the next four weeks. The Raiders have signed kicker Greg Joseph to the team’s practice squad.”
“Las Vegas fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon after last week’s loss, as kicker Daniel Carlson has made just 12-of-16 field goals and 11-of-12 extra points this season. Joseph, 31, made 16-of-20 field goals in eight appearances with the Giants, Commanders, and Jets last season. He’s connected on 82.3 percent of his career field goals in 75 games since 2018.”
Joseph is the immediate next man up if Las Vegas benches or cuts Carlson.
NFL Resume for Joseph
Joseph has been everywhere — and then some. The veteran kicker has suited up for nearly a third of the NFL’s franchises over the past eight seasons, making him the definition of a league journeyman. At this point, if you stop a random NFL fan at the hardware store and ask who they root for, there’s a fair shot that Joseph once handled kicking duties for their team.
Here’s the damage:
- Miami Dolphins (2018)
- Cleveland Browns (2018)
- Carolina Panthers (2019)
- Tennessee Titans (2019)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020)
- Minnesota Vikings (2021–2023)
- Green Bay Packers (2024)
- Detroit Lions (2024)
- New York Giants (2024)
- Washington Commanders (2024)
- New York Jets (2024)
- San Francisco 49ers (2025)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2025)
Joseph’s Time in Minnesota
Joseph’s run in Minnesota was better than many remember, at least in crunchtime. For three years, he was mostly steady when it mattered, drilling clutch field goals and dramatically sealing games. Aside from one brutal miss against the Cardinals back in 2021, fans generally trusted him when the moment got tight.
Still, the cracks showed. Joseph’s overall accuracy numbers kept him near the bottom of the league, and every extra point seemed to come with a collective hold of breath across the fanbase. Eventually, the patience ran out.
During the 2024 offseason, the Vikings moved on, drafting Alabama’s Will Reichard — a calm, young sniper who makes pressure look routine. Minnesota traded veteran nerves for rookie composure, and so far, it’s the right call.
Raiders Cooked Anyway
The Raiders will end up rolling with Carlson or Joseph for the remainder of the season, but, sadly for their sake, it doesn’t much matter.
ESPN’s Football Power Index calls Las Vegas the NFL’s fifth-worst team after 10 weeks, possessing a 0.0% chance of reaching the postseason. Yes, the FPI metric has already eliminated the Raiders. Las Vegas would have to win every game from here on out and then hope for the best with Wildcard seeding.
The Raiders added quarterback Geno Smith during the offseason, and with a fancy 1st-Round draft pick on the way, a rookie passer is almost assuredly to enter the chat in April.
Raiders-Themed Media on Joseph
Silver and Black Pride‘s Bill Williamson opined on the Joseph move: “Could Daniel Carlson be in danger of losing his job? Joseph has kicked for seven teams since entering the NFL in 2018 His longest stint with one team is when he kicked for the Minnesota Vikings from 2021-23. He last kicked for the New York Jets during the 2024 season, a season in which he was with five different programs.”
“While he has kicked for seven teams, Joseph has been part of 13 different programs, now including the Raiders. He was last with the San Francisco 49ers, who cut him in August. How will he fit in with the Raiders? Joseph was likely signed to give the Raiders insurance if they feel like they need to move on from kicker Daniel Carlson. he has suddenly struggled this season, missing five kicks.”
The Raiders also worked out Parker Romo before signing Joseph, so three ex-Vikings specialists were in the mix for a day in Vegas.
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