EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings are replacing two-thirds of their specialists Tuesday, sources confirmed, agreeing to terms with place-kicker John Parker Romo and long snapper Jake McQuaide as injury replacements.
Romo is expected to step in for rookie Will Reichard, who sustained a right quadriceps injury last week. McQuaide replaces Andrew DePaola, who is scheduled to have surgery to repair a right hand injury. Reichard and DePaola were placed on injured reserve Tuesday and will miss at least the next four games.
Romo has spent time with three NFL teams, including the Vikings during training camp this summer, but has never kicked in a regular-season game. He spent 2023 with the XFL's San Antonio Brahmas, where he converted 17 of 19 field goal attempts in 10 games.
McQuaide is in his 14th NFL season and spent most of his career with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. He overlapped there in the 2020 season with Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, who was the Rams' offensive coordinator at the time.
The NFL Network first reported the agreements.
Reichard, a sixth-round draft pick this spring, opened his NFL career by hitting his first 14 field goals and his first 20 extra points. But he missed two field goal attempts Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts. He later told multiple media outlets that he began feeling soreness in his thigh during practice last week, but special teams coordinator Matt Daniels said Tuesday that he was not aware of any issues until Reichard reported discomfort Sunday night.