Too Much At Stake
October 9th, 2017
BY IRA KAUFMAN
He’s got to go.
Get this straight — it’s tough to see people lose their jobs, but it happens every week in the NFL. Nick Folk will understand if the Bucs move on from him in what has morphed into their eternal quest for a reliable kicker.
He won’t like it, but he’ll understand.
Jason Licht and Dirk Koetter can’t be worried about hurting Folk’s feelings or rolling the dice with a new kicker. At this point, after five missed field goals and an errant extra point within five days, the Bucs have to be thinking about the mindset of the rest of the roster.
These 52 guys are busting their tails for this franchise, only to see Folk fail consistently at his one job — putting the ball through the uprights. Adding to the misery is Tampa Bay’s prolonged agony at the kicker position.
All around this league, teams find competent kickers off the scrap heap, undrafted prospects who somehow thrive at the pro level. Is it too much to ask the Bucs to land a kicker who doesn’t give their supporters the shakes when he strikes the ball seven yards beyond the line of scrimmage?
Folk has had his turn, and for most of his NFL career he has been money. That doesn’t matter anymore. Buc fans don’t care what Folk accomplished for the Jets … all they see is a bankrupt kicker who needs to be replaced.
Playoff Serious
“You’ve got to make your kicks,” has been Koetter’s mantra. Soon, we will find out if that’s an empty slogan.
Nick Folk
And if the Bucs do part ways with Folk, he certainly knows he had the full support of the organization. Let’s not forget the extraordinary faith Koetter showed in Folk toward the end of the Giants game, when he ordered Jameis Winston to take two knees before placing the outcome on the right leg of a kicker who was having a bad day.
Koetter bent over backwards to straighten out a kicker who lost his way.
“It’s unfortunate,” Koetter says, “because Nick won the job in training camp and he’s been really solid in practice. So yeah, these last two weeks haven’t been exactly what we were looking for. Nick would be the first to admit that.”
Like closers in baseball, kickers have one job to do. Since one NFL game is roughly the mathematical equivalent of 10 major-league baseball games, Folk’s slump mimics a closer who has been awful during a team’s 20-game stretch.
You know what you call a closer who has blown seven saves in a three-week stretch?
A middle reliever.
NFL clubs don’t have the luxury of finding room for middle relief kickers. There’s only one guy on each roster charged with making field goals.
It’s a high-pressure position, understood by all concerned.
If the Bucs aren’t particularly impressed with the kickers working out today, then keep searching. At 2-2, these Bucs aren’t in bad shape. If they can address their kicking issues, this team will have a lot to play for.
But if Folk somehow survives, his presence will limit Koetter’s options going forward. And that’s not fair to the rest of the team.
Suppose Tampa Bay trails Arizona 16-14 in the final minute next week, facing fourth-and-3 from the Cardinals 30. Can Koetter trust Folk to convert from 47 yards out in the desert, or will he try to keep the drive going?
End The Drama
Those decisions can shape the difference between 8-8 and 10-6. This is serious stuff, Playoff berths are on the line, along with some high-profile jobs at One Buc Place.
The Bucs need to give someone new an opportunity to earn Koetter’s confidence. The entire locker room and coaching staff are watching this drama unfold and Licht needs to kick his habit of picking the wrong guy to launch footballs through the uprights.
Here’s hoping Folk has another few years left of making field goals somewhere else. He’s a stand-up guy who doesn’t make excuses.
But enough is enough. Folk needs to move on. The Bucs need to move on.
Like Koetter says, you’ve got to make your kicks. Next man up.
Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.
October 9th, 2017 at 9:35 am
AMEN!!!
October 9th, 2017 at 9:46 am
Preach
October 9th, 2017 at 9:54 am
The Kansas City chiefs signed PK Harrison Butker off the Carolina Panthers PS. This after PK Cairo Santos went on IR. Butker is 8-9 on FGs and 5-5 on PATs. An UDFA out of Georgia Tech.
October 9th, 2017 at 9:55 am
I respect the opportunities that Licht gives players, beyond which any other GM would (i.e. Dougie). It separates us from the whole “what have you done for me lately NFL”, where we’re stuck watching Blount, Bennett, Bryant, etc excel with other teams. But if Licht’s not careful it will define and be the demise to his POTENTIALLY short tenure as GM.
We argued Folk should have been cut last week. I’m no kicking guru, but Folk just looks uncomfortable kicking balls; like he’s trying to steer it through as opposed to driving it..
But like I said I’m no guru. My expertise on kicks goes back a year now since I had to start watching them again.
October 9th, 2017 at 10:00 am
Yes we need a new kicker. But when you look at what Bill O’Brian has done for Deshaun Watson and you look at how Koetter is doing the very opposite for Jameis Winston it doesn’t make you mad? He’s def holding back Jameis’ potential with his playcalling & vanilla preseason game plans. It was so bad I was calling what we were gonna do before we did it the other night and was right 95% of the time. If I’m doing that then it must be easy for the coach of the other team.
October 9th, 2017 at 10:00 am
PREEEEEAAAACCCHHHH
October 9th, 2017 at 10:04 am
Why can’t they at least try out Marvin Kloss, the former USF PK who was a Groza runner up? He lives so close by!!!!
October 9th, 2017 at 10:04 am
Great points Ira.
Preaching to a devoted choir….
Only problem is the incumbent garbage kicker would have to be replaced by jobless garbage and that’s basically what’s available out there….who do you like as a kicker the Bucs can bring in?
October 9th, 2017 at 10:11 am
Eliminate the place kicking position. At this point what have you got to lose? Licht needs to fix this fast. Totally unacceptable.
October 9th, 2017 at 10:27 am
My sentiments exactly Ira.
Folk may well bounce back – but he can’t be given that chance here after what has happened the last 2 games. There’s too much at stake. Better to give that chance to the best looking young kicker you can find on the streets IMO.
October 9th, 2017 at 10:38 am
Saw u on fox yesterday ira. Good stuff. Lets hope dirk hears the chirps for the quick passing game. Yes folk has no reason to still be a buc. Go bics
October 9th, 2017 at 10:42 am
move on to what? the same drama? the bucs pull the trigger on folk and it will most likely be the same or worse… then what? we’re are f*cked!! X(
October 9th, 2017 at 10:47 am
Its sad Ira when any Man loses his livlihood in any occupation. Folk is smart and will be Ok. He know the real deal. His uniform is always pressed and clean. And for the most part, he does not have to greet cold immersion or heat therapy after a game. All he has to do is..Kick that pigskin thru the uprights. Thats his one and only job. Can’t do it? Then we find somebody else. NEXT!!
October 9th, 2017 at 11:13 am
Someone needs to explain we why moved on from Connor Barth who hit 3 50+ FG’s for us in Miami. Patrick Murray who was maturing into a good kicker, we also had Kai Forbath who seemed to maturing as well?
October 9th, 2017 at 11:15 am
These other kickers all look “golden”, that is, until they get into a game, with 60 thousand fans screaming, and have to make a kick with half a dozen 300 pounders ng at them. Don’t expect that some “just out of college” kicker will come in and make their kicks.
October 9th, 2017 at 11:28 am
There are reportedly 6 kickers at OBP today – including Mike (don’t call me Ted) Nugent. Pat (shoulda kept me 2 years ago) Murray and former Iowa kicker Marshall Koehn who spent time w/ Miami and Minn but has yet to crack an NFL roster.
Also KC’s kicker for the last 4 years – Cairo Santos was brought in for a physical to try and determine how quickly his groin injury will be fully healed which is why KC released him 2 weeks ago. Santos has been very solid for the Chiefs of late but is not expected to be ready to play for at least another couple weeks.
IMO, Santos’ injury and subsequent release by KC may well be our best chance right now of landing a reliable kicker for the long term. Santos is 84.8% on FGs his 1st 3.2 years in the league including 31 of 35 (88.6%) with a long of 54 in 2016 and perfect through 3 games in 2017. He’s 7 of 12 from 50 yds+ career and was 2 for 2 last year on 50+. Santos has missed 5 XP attempts out of 80 tries the last 2 years so he’s not a perfect specimen – but his overall #s since the beginning of last year in actual NFL games are really good and represent a clear upgrade over Aguayo and Folk.
As dire as our kicking situation is – this might be the time to carry 2 kickers for the next 2-3 weeks until Santos is ready to play – if that’s who Licht and Koetter decide they want to roll with long term.
October 9th, 2017 at 11:31 am
Every time my wife worries about a player getting cut (like little Aguayo) or she sees the players are bummed about a loss, I reassure her with “These guys make a very MINIMUM of $450K a year, and many make well into the multi-millions! Feel bad for us who make a pittance compared to that. We PAY to see them play, where they get paid no matter what!” Heck, maybe that soothes me too. Then again, then I bum out about my $10K per year “All New West Club” ticket package and money I spend going to places like MIN or ARI in the past year to see a debacle. So…Nick Folk will be fine. Mike Glennon will be fine (as he laughs all the way to CHI bank). Even little Roberto will be fine. They just need to PLAY to get paid!
October 9th, 2017 at 11:36 am
“These 52 guys are busting their tails for this franchise, only to see Folk fail consistently at his one job — putting the ball through the uprights.”
Fail consistently without some much as a grass stain on his jersey. Just trots out there all feelin good, not sore, not beat up from banging into anyone….and shanks the ball into nearly the left corner end zone.
YOU can’t BE this BAD!
October 9th, 2017 at 11:44 am
Hey Joe, has anyone looked into the idea that Anger might be at least a part of the problem? Another poster mentioned it a few days ago. They said while he was somewhere else, they had kicking issues. Maybe try a different holder?
October 9th, 2017 at 11:46 am
It’s fascinating isn’t it Shane,how one coach can figure out a way to gameplan to his young QBs strengths and another one can’t seem to. That clemson tiger quickly becoming a star. cowboys won’t be the BIG brother to the Texans inside that state much longer.
October 9th, 2017 at 11:54 am
Kickers aren’t the only attempted upgrade today after the “mini bye”…
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/10/09/lamarr-houston-visiting-the-buccaneers-today/
October 9th, 2017 at 11:57 am
Agreed with pickgrin. I like Santos the best long term provided he is healthy.
October 9th, 2017 at 12:02 pm
And he caused a certain group of fans to ramp up their JW attacks. (ignorance)
He makes those kicks and no one says a word about how well or poor JW played. Not a peep. IMO He’s bad for fan support AND for the team.
Get him out of here like 3 days ago.
October 9th, 2017 at 1:11 pm
Team should be 3-1 even with the lousy first 3 offensive (and how!) quarters Bucs offense played. What is with this team? Bad karma? They now have the makings of a great offense. Where the H3ll is it? Ye gods, let Anger place kick if nothing else!
October 9th, 2017 at 6:21 pm
You speak the truth, as always Ira!