Free Agency Countdown: 30 Days
February 7th, 2017
How bout real competition for Roberto Aguayo?
The free agency dinner bell officially rings Thursday, March 9 at 4 p.m. The Bucs will be coming to the buffet table with a pile of cash. But how will they spend it? How much will they spend? Joe is counting down the days with a different look at a potential free agent signing.
After the train wreck rookie season of kicker Roberto Aguayo, who struggled in August and January — and in between — the Bucs’ brass made it clear that competition was coming at kicker.
And the Bucs didn’t hesitate. Inexperienced John Lunsford was signed in a hurry last month.
That’s nice, but how bout bigger-time competition?
The Vikings cut Blair Walsh in November. Walsh was a sixth-round pick by Minnesota in 2012, and he was a Pro Bowler as a rookie and had significant success in multiple seasons, especially from long range (24-for-34 from 50-plus yards in his career).
Walsh, though, had his famous choke in the playoffs to close the 2015 season. And it seemed he didn’t recover mentally last year. After nine games, the Vikings sent him packing following four missed extra points and hitting on 75 percent of his field goal attempts. (Aguayo converted 71 percent of FGs.)
Aguayo’s issues are mental. Walsh’s issues are mental, except he sports a much more impressive resumé and a bigger leg.
The Bucs could sign Walsh now to a prove-it deal. They don’t have wait until the free agency dinner bell rings.
Joe’s not lobbying for Walsh, but he is intriguing. Regardless, if the Bucs want competition for Aguayo, then it might as well be the best they can find.
February 7th, 2017 at 12:11 pm
Please try to stay at least a little close to the topic in the comments, first comment especially. Thanks. –Joe
February 7th, 2017 at 12:30 pm
i like this idea wouldnt hurt as long as we sign him to a deal we can easily get out of if aguayo gets it together which im trying to pull for the kid
February 7th, 2017 at 12:38 pm
Ok my bad Joe..But on the topic, I don’t believe they will bring in real competition for Aguayo. I think they have their mind set on making him their Franchise Kicker.
February 7th, 2017 at 12:40 pm
100% agree Joe. Right now we have an unknown that had a questionable college career and a big leg. What happens if he turns into Vinateri during the preseason. Can we cut aguayo when the liberty kid turns into brindza?
February 7th, 2017 at 12:44 pm
That makes a lot a sense. Sign a guy with the same issues of last years 2nd Rd pick. Lol.
So your solution to our mentally weak kicker is to sign another mentally weak kicker .Lol
February 7th, 2017 at 1:09 pm
So you want to bring in a guy that has mental issues kicking the ball to replace a 2nd round pick with same concerns? Sounds like a waste of time and Glazer cash to me.
February 7th, 2017 at 1:24 pm
If I remember correctly Sebastian Janikowski sucked his first year too, and He turned out alright.
I’m willing to wait before writing off Roberto.
February 7th, 2017 at 1:36 pm
Who knows, Aguayo might do a presto-changeo and morph into Mr Reliable.
February 7th, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Agree with LakeLandBuc. Bucs have much bigger fish to fry than worrying about Roberto. They have far too much invested in him to give up so easily. Besides, he was improving as last season rolled on.
On the subject of free agency though Joe, I thought the Bucs would be high man on the totem pole with 17 UFAs. Not even close. Buffalo has 23 UFAs and Detroit has 20 UFAs. Of our UFAs, I’m really hoping that Jason Licht re-signs at least 8 of those: Gholston, Rodgers, A. Spence, McDougald, Hawley, D. Smith, Robinson and Shephard. Can see as many as 3-4 others who we might want to keep and take into training camp: Myers, Shorts, Siliga and possibly Hughes. Interesting months ahead.
February 7th, 2017 at 2:07 pm
Yea I agree with brining in “real” competition for Aguyo. Im just not sure Blair Walsh is that guy. When I watched him kick this year (Family is full of Vikings fans so I pay close attention to them) I couldnt watch. Just had that feeling that in a big spot he couldnt come through. I had the same feeling with Aguyo.
February 7th, 2017 at 2:33 pm
@joe says, “Aguayo’s issues are mental”…..
if his issues are mental, I doubt bring in “true competition” would help him…he would definitely melt under pressure….
btw…what is he struggling with mentally?…is it confidence?…technique?…vision?…nerves?….
GO BUCS!!!!
February 7th, 2017 at 2:51 pm
A change of scenery could work wonder’s for walsh. I see Aguyo getting cut.
February 7th, 2017 at 3:09 pm
I’d just like to point out that NEs kicker missed an xtra point in the Super Bowl. No one is immune.
February 7th, 2017 at 3:15 pm
LakeLandBuc Says
“I don’t believe they will bring in real competition for Aguayo. I think they have their mind set on making him their Franchise Kicker.”
A agree with LakeLandBuc. I believe Roberto Aguayo will be our kicker through next year unless he suffers an injury or suspension.
I also believe that although he may not have proven himself yet, he will eventually. Hopefully by this next season.
February 7th, 2017 at 3:17 pm
813bucboi Says
“if his issues are mental, I doubt bring in “true competition” would help him…he would definitely melt under pressure…”
I disagree.
But in truth, I think whether he gets better depends on what he is doing this off season. If he is getting coached up somehow, working hard to get better, then he will get better and maybe he’ll be the kicker we hoped he was.
But competition is something he will always have to face.
February 7th, 2017 at 3:19 pm
Great idea Joe! Let’s sign another head case at kicker then they can battle it out in a true competition to see who is a bigger head case chokemeister.
Only in Tampa!
How about we bring in some competition at the GM position?!!
February 7th, 2017 at 3:36 pm
Ok, no more Jankowski comparisons. His rookie year, he missed one from 20-49. He missed 5 from beyond 50, with a long make of 56. No way, no way, is this guy Janikowski.
February 7th, 2017 at 3:40 pm
Oh, and Vineyard? 20-22 from 20-49, with 7-9 from beyond 50. So half of his misses are from beyond 50 his rookie year, with 7 made from beyond 50. So please stop with the comparisons of two potential HOF kickers compared to our head case, who can’t kick beyond 43.
February 7th, 2017 at 3:41 pm
Vinetari not Vineyard, dang autocorrect
February 7th, 2017 at 3:43 pm
But can he mortar kick?
February 7th, 2017 at 3:45 pm
@bonzai…what gives you that impression?….if he struggled mentally with zero competition, competition would drive him nuts…
last offseason I went to about 6 open practices….during one Saturday practice he missed 3 kicks….the next day he missed 2…..imagine if he has that kind of practice and his “competition” makes all his kicks….he confidence would be shattered….
regardless we’re stuck with him for at least 1 more year….GO BUCS!!!!
February 7th, 2017 at 3:50 pm
@813bucboi
Then he gets cut and the team moves on with that kicker. It’s pretty simple lol
February 7th, 2017 at 6:07 pm
We don’t have to be “stuck with him for at least one more year” but since our idiot GM blew a 2nd pick on him we are now feeling obligated to be stuck with him instead of cutting his lousy aas like we should have done after the third preseason game last year. This is all about the fevered ego of our GM, nothing more. AguaOh,no would not have kicked in a single regular season game for Bill Belichek based on his performance in the first 3 preseason games. This is a GM problem, not a kicker problem.
February 7th, 2017 at 6:13 pm
Walsh completely crumbled – perhaps he bounces back, perhaps not – but I think the better idea is to just find some young guys to compete and see what happens. I have faith in kicker, you’re not the best in the history of college for nothing, and many great kicks have bad rookie years, they generally have OK 2nd years, and then by year 3 they’re amongst the best in the league.
Some stats:
Morten Andersen, just going into the HOF, hit 40% of his FGs in limited rookie action, then 75% in year two and 74% in year 3.
Year 2 and 3 look OK for the time, but most of those makes are from under 40, beyond 40 his accuracy plummets. Then, like most kickers who end up HOFers, his number improve greatly.
Kickers generally take a while to cook – and never has a kicker taken this high busted – not that I can find anyways. He’s taking a typical young kicker route so far and even with having a bad year he didn’t cost us any games – I think he bounces back just fine. But, you still prepare – you always prepare, get some competition just so he’s not sitting there by himself. Also I’d fire whoever works with the kickers, I don’t care if it’s his fault or not, I’d want someone new in kickers ear.
February 7th, 2017 at 6:33 pm
We already brought in enough competition with the other kid. We can just roll with them both and see how it shakes out. I think Aguayo gets one more year to show progress befor he gets cut.
February 7th, 2017 at 7:00 pm
Never should have got rid of matt bryant
February 7th, 2017 at 8:14 pm
Rod
One of those rare evenings where I completely agree with you. You made great points.
February 7th, 2017 at 8:52 pm
Blair Walsh is the antidote to any Aguayo apologist who spouts off that rookie kickers do so horribly.
Blair Walsh, as a 6th round rookie out of Georgia in 2012, hit 92% of his FG’s and went an astounding 10-10 on FG’s over 50 yards. If Licht thinks Aguayo was worth a 2nd round pick then Walsh must be kicking himself that Licht wasn’t a GM in 2012, otherwise be may have been a top 10 pick.
The problem with signing Blair Walsh is he’s significantly better than Aguayo and while also a bit of a headcase has actually made a FG longer than 43 yards (24 made FG’s over 50). Then Licht would have to admit his mistake without giving his 2nd round prodigy another season, and we all know Licht is determined to give his golden child one more season before he admits it was a horrible choice.
February 8th, 2017 at 2:10 am
I like Aguayo … stick with him.
February 8th, 2017 at 9:23 am
Kevin is right- Matt Bryant was a reliable guy with a huge leg and was a fan favorite but we the Bucs organization didn’t like him, LOL. Look Vic Beasley sucked his first year, they were calling him a bust. How ya like him now? At least give Aguayo through the preseason before you dump him. It’s ridiculous. There have been plenty of Busts in the second round at every position for every team in the NFL, he may or may not be be one of those but we don’t know after 1 year.
February 8th, 2017 at 9:24 am
BTW, I don’t understand why this is under the heading of FA, Walsh is washing dishes at Carrabas, not a FA, just sayin’