Vikings Signing P Johnny Hekker & RB Jaret Patterson

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Vikings are also signing RB Jaret Patterson to the practice squad.

It’s worth noting Vikings P Brett Thorson is expected to miss significant time with a hamstring injury.

Hekker was among three punters trying out with Minnesota on Tuesday.

Hekker, 36, wound up signing on with the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State back in 2012. He was in the fourth year of his seven-year, $18.57 million contract when the Rams signed him to a two-year, $9.6 million extension through 2022 back in 2017. 

He then signed a one-year extension worth $4.25 million with the team back in 2019 which extended his contract into the 2023 NFL season, but was cut loose in 2022 and later signed a three-year, $7.6 million deal that included $5 million guaranteed with the Panthers.

He signed a one-year deal with the Titans for the 2025 season and had inked a one-year deal with the Vikings for 2026 but was let go after camp.

In 2025, Hekker appeared in all 17 games for the Titans and totaled 3,653 punt yards on 78 attempts (46.8 YPA) and 22 downed inside the 20-yard line.

Patterson, 26, was a three-year starter at Buffalo, and the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-MAC in 2020. He signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. 

He was in the second year of his deal when he was waived coming out of the preseason and re-signed to the practice squad, spending most of the season on the unit. Washington cut him coming out of the preseason again this season, and he caught on with the Chargers’ practice squad until he was let go and signed with the Commanders’ practice squad last year. 

The Chargers brought Patterson back on a futures contract, but released him coming out of the preseason. He then made their way back onto their practice squad in 2024 and 2025 and bounced on and off the practice squad last season.

From there, Patterson signed a one-year extension this offseason but was let go after camp.

In 2025, Patterson appeared in six games and carried the ball 41 times for 159 yards and a touchdown.