Ryan Wright wins punting competition as Vikings part ways with Seth Vernon

The punting competition is over.

After putting forth another solid performance for the Vikings over the weekend, punter Ryan Wright is the last man standing. He officially beat out the challenger on Monday morning when the Vikings waived punter Seth Vernon.

It was never truly in doubt after Wright vastly outperformed Vernon at seemingly every turn.

Though special teams coordinator Matt Daniels spoke highly of both players at the start of training camp, Wright slowly started to separate himself from Vernon over the past couple of weeks, using the exhibition slate to deliver the knockout blow.

In the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Wright averaged a whopping 57 yards per punt, while Vernon shanked a ball out of bounds while kicking from the shadow of his own goal post. In the preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, Wright continued to shine with a pair of punts that were downed inside the 20-yard line.

The fact that Wright has been the primary holder for rookie kicker Will Reichard also played a role in him earning the job. The operation has looked very smooth with long snapper Andrew DePaola snapping, Wright holding, and Reichard kicking.