Even the role of the kicker, who’s more likely to be involved as a last line of defense, seems set for reinterpretation. Daniels said a number of Vikings players volunteered their interest in kicking off, though he cautioned those players would have to master a proper kicking warmup to avoid soft-tissue injuries. But if the Vikings can find a player who might be a better open-field tackler than a traditional kicker and “can consistently put it in play, or put it in the end zone, or put it within the landing zone,” Daniels said, “we’ll definitely do that because it’s an advantage. If you add a guy who’s unaccounted for from a [kickoff return] standpoint, it’s an advantage, because he’s a free hitter.”