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When you’re one of the most accurate kickers in the history of the National Football League and are unexpectedly let go, you can sort of pick and choose your spots. It sounds like that’s precisely what Dan Bailey did when he finally decided to sign with the Minnesota Vikings this week following Daniel Carlson’s meltdown in Green Bay.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports the following:
The #Vikings signed K Dan Bailey to a 1-year deal worth $2 million, I’m told. He turned down several offers that were for double that much on multi-year deals. He wanted the right fit and believes he found it.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 18, 2018
Rapoport reports that Bailey turned down offers that were good for double what the Vikings were offering, and were also multi-year deals. Instead, Bailey signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Vikings.
I’m not sure if you can classify a kicker’s contract as a “prove it” deal like you can with some other positions, and it’s not as if Bailey would have a lot to “prove” in any case. But, he was just biding his time after being cut by the Cowboys late in the preseason, and decided he could be patient and wait for what he felt was the best offer.
Now, he gets to kick for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, and also gets to kick the majority of his games indoors. Good things come to those who wait, I suppose.