![\"Andrew](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/NFL-NFC-Wild-Card-Round-Minnesota-Vikings-at-Los-Angeles-Rams-25201685-scaled-e1771022134330.jpg\")
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
This season, the Minnesota Vikings found themselves getting swept out of Pro Bowl consideration<\/a>. The event during Pro Bowl week haven\u2019t mattered for years, but the designation still certainly holds weight in contract negotiations, among other things.<\/p>\n While there aren\u2019t a ton of players that you could have made a legitimate argument for in purple this year, the specialists were a different story. Not only was their singing voter campaign incredible, but the kicking game as a whole was terrific all year.<\/p>\n Although the focal point of that process is kicker Will Reichard, long snapper Andrew DePaola sets it all in motion. He\u2019s been a Pro Bowl selection before, and Minnesota is going to make sure the next time he is, it\u2019s for the Vikings too.<\/p>\n Andrew DePaola on Minnesota Vikings radar<\/p>\n The Minnesota Vikings have employed Andrew DePaola for seven of his 11 NFL seasons<\/a>. This year ended a stretch of three-straight Pro Bowl selections, but he again made the All-Pro (2nd) team. Minnesota inked DePaola to a three-year contract in 2023<\/a>, which allows him to hit free agency this offseason.<\/p>\n Set to play another year next season at 39 years old, Ben Goessling (Star Tribune)<\/a> is reporting that the Minnesota Vikings want him back.<\/p>\n The four-time All-Pro will be 39 in July, but the Vikings are in no rush to change long snappers after six years of stability at the position. They\u2019ll likely get a deal done with DePaola for the 2026 season that keeps him in Minnesota for a seventh year.<\/p>\n Star Tribune<\/a><\/p>\n Last season DePaola carried a $1.38 million cap hit. That was the largest contract of his career, and bringing him back at even a nominal raise isn\u2019t going to change the MN Vikings bottom line.<\/p>\n Over the past five seasons DePaola has missed just four games. He has consistently contributed on at least one-third of special teams snaps for years, and the Vikings know him well. Given the output Will Reichard has shown in his first two NFL seasons (87.7% FG)<\/a> it would make little sense to disrupt the current cadence. <\/p>\n For a guy that played quarterback and wide receiver at Rutgers<\/a>, DePaola has carved out quite the career as a long snapper. Minnesota will have plenty of roster turnover this offseason, but it doesn\u2019t look like special teams will be a key area.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Andrew Depaola<\/a> <\/p>\n More About:Minnesota Vikings<\/a><\/p>\n
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