# Devon Platana: With punter Brett Thorson dealing with a hamstring injury, Platana suggests the Vikings have a decent chance of bringing back veteran free-agent punter Johnny Hekker as a familiar fill-in.

**Claimed:** Sep 21, 2026
**Pundit:** Devon Platana — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/devon-platana
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/brett-thorson-s-week-3-injury-uncertainty-could-have-vikings-turning-to-a-familiar-face-01m32qxv51ks

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

The call scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> there's a decent chance that the Bothwell, WA native could make his way back to Minnesota

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Johnny Hekker to move to Minnesota Vikings**
  - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Johnny Hekker, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Johnny Hekker — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/johnny-hekker
- Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/vikings

## What others said about the same people

- Bradley Locker on Carson Wentz: PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a3716f21-0488-4fc8-a414-c25c2d781a6e (scored 100)
- Adam Chudwin on Minnesota Vikings: In his annual game-by-game Bears prediction, Chudwin went through all 17 games and landed on a 12-5 season for Chicago. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b6e5e93f-2997-4140-881f-3acec911a1f1 (scored 100)
- Trevor Ripley on Dillon Bell: Ripley expects Max Brosmer to return to the Vikings on the practice squad after being waived, and thinks Dillon Bell may draw waiver interest but is also a practice squad candidate for Minnesota. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/529718b4-3310-4bc4-949a-09c9600f3c48 (scored 0)
- Nick Shook on Emmanuel McNeil-Warren: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 17.68)
- Tom Pelissero on Adam Thielen: Pelissero doubted Micah Parsons would ultimately sit out, said the most logical outcome is Parsons showing up and playing out his contract, and pegged his eventual deal in the $45 million-per-year range; he also predicted the Vikings' week one starter opposite Justin Jefferson is not currently on their roster, floating Adam Thielen as a target, and said Justin Jefferson will be good to go for week one. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a7185069-741c-4dc1-b7c3-09775ddb0c32 (scored 100)
- Colin Cowherd on Aaron Rodgers: Cowherd gave his post-free-agency top 10 NFL team rankings, with Philadelphia first and Green Bay tenth, kept the Chiefs as a playoff team while predicting a pullback, and said the Chargers will make a big jump in Jim Harbaugh's second year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6bec15ac-bc47-4fae-b138-ffa90bd62538 (scored 0)

## More trade and signing calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Greg Auman on Will Levis: Auman predicts that Will Levis, released by Tennessee, will almost certainly be claimed on waivers by another team. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/55b7732a-4131-430b-adbf-a33c60c47dc0 (scored 100)
- John Maakaron on Joe Bachie: Maakaron suggests several Lions players could be cut and land on other rosters: linebacker Joe Bachie, defensive linemen Ben Stille and Chris Smith, and running back Sione Vaki. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6cc7cac4-1a70-4e0a-a762-8c280319c3af (scored 100)
- Bradley Locker on Will Levis: Locker lists 10 players on the roster bubble entering 2026, suggesting Tyrone Tracy may not make the Giants' 53, Broderick Jones could be traded or cut by Pittsburgh, Dillon Gabriel may lose the Browns' QB3 job, Evan Neal's Giants tenure may end, and Will Levis will likely be traded or cut by Tennessee. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/538fc657-f762-4d98-84e1-b03c4bc14469 (scored 100)
- Dharya Sharma on Will Levis: Previewing the Titans' preseason opener, Sharma identifies five receivers as roster locks, expects Bryce Oliver to make the 53 on special teams value, and predicts Will Levis will not be on Tennessee's roster by September, likely being moved for a late-round pick. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f60a6ef5-4d69-4548-ad17-906bf8bfb384 (scored 100)
- Jonathan Jones on Will Levis: Jones expects Anthony Richardson to be traded, likely for roughly a fifth-round pick, and to serve as a backup rather than a starter in 2026. He also lays out a series of quarterback-market predictions: Aaron Rodgers back with the Steelers, Tua off the Dolphins roster, Daniel Jones ultimately staying as the Colts' starter, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders competing for Cleveland's QB1 job, Will Levis most likely of the veteran backups to be traded, and Kirk Cousins possibly landing in Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5d2883c2-4e98-45b0-8745-8bc2d87f8eb6 (scored 100)
- Brandon Carney on Mike Evans: Carney predicted AJ Brown would not be back with the Eagles, forecast a wave of free-agent landing spots (Breece Hall to the Chiefs, Alec Pierce to the 49ers, Rico Dowdle to the Saints, George Pickens to the Patriots, Mike Evans to the Bills), and named Week 1 starting quarterbacks for several teams in flux. He also gave fantasy takes on Javonte Williams, Chris Olave and others. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9337347d-fde9-46c9-9bb6-26ade467538b (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology

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