Kicker Among The Opening Plays
March 6th, 2018
A glaring issue of the Jason Licht regime has been at kicker — and you can’t blame Lovie Smith for that circus.
You know the names, the faces and the misses — and the other stud kickers in the NFC South.
The Panthers’ 2017 Pro Bowl kicker Graham Gano just inked a four-year deal that will pay him more than $4 million annually. Matt Bryant, who one day will be part of Hall of Fame induction chatter, just signed a new three-year deal with the Falcons.
Noted NFL.com, “At the age of 42 in 2017, Bryant nailed 34 of 39 FGAs and all 35 PATs. He made eight field goals over 50 yards, including a 57-yarder. For his career, Bryant has made 85.78 percent of his FGAs, which ranks him ninth all-time.”
When the Bucs traded up to draft Roberto Aguayo in Round 2 of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Saints signed undrafted Wil Lutz. He was good enough in his rookie year and matured to strong and consistent last year. And he didn’t wilt in the playoffs.
So where does this leave the Bucs?
Joe believes it should put Licht on high-alert to — again! — fix the Bucs’ kicking game.
Incumbent Patrick Murray stabilized a mess last year, but he did not prove to be special, and he was poor from 50+ yards. He’s also subpar on kickoffs, which burned the Bucs in the final month of the season.
Please, please, please, somebody call soon-t0-be free agent Caleb Sturgis, the good, young Eagles kicker who lost his job to a hot new kicker after a September hip injury.
Make kicking great again.
March 6th, 2018 at 4:54 pm
Please stop repurposing idiotic trumpisms which were themselves ripped off from Reagan.
March 6th, 2018 at 5:00 pm
No draft picks for a kicker please!
Hate to see the ammo (draft picks) that could’ve been used to net us Marcus Peters and Robert Quinn used on a subpar kicker. Not happening again!
March 6th, 2018 at 5:01 pm
RIP George Yarno.
March 6th, 2018 at 5:08 pm
Trade down in first, take Agayos brother.
March 6th, 2018 at 5:11 pm
Best option is FA Cody Parkey
Take a look at his stats. Instant upgrade and young too, so we’d be set for a decade.
March 6th, 2018 at 5:12 pm
HMMM… let’s see. We have the worst kicker, QB and defense in the Division. This doesn’t look so good.
March 6th, 2018 at 5:12 pm
Even kickers don’t want to come to Tampa.
The Bears has tagged Kyle Fuller
The Rams tagged Lamarcus Joyner
March 6th, 2018 at 5:31 pm
Matt Bryant….we got as a free agent
Connar Barth….free agent
Pat Murray…..free agent
Nick Folk…..free agent
All kickers that have had some degree of NFL success….all available at one time or another in free agency.
What does Licht do……..trades up to grab a kicker in the 2nd rd. Aguayo was out of the league in 2 yrs.
#SlowClap
March 6th, 2018 at 5:51 pm
Didn’t the Bucs have Matt Bryant?
Oh yea and this pathetic franchise with its pathetic owners and pathetic group of coaches over the last 10 years let him go.
Bad teams stay bad.
Just another example of how inept this franchise has become.
How many guys have this franchise let go that majorly contribute to other teams success?
I hate liking this worthless pathetic inept sorry as s excuse of a franchise.
I now just revel in them losing from week to week and I laugh and sit back and say “well let’s see how bad it gets this week”
March 6th, 2018 at 6:07 pm
Sweeptheleg Says
“Didn’t the Bucs have Matt Bryant?
Oh yea and this pathetic franchise with its pathetic owners and pathetic group of coaches over the last 10 years let him go.”
To be fair, they didn’t know if his career was over…and he spent time on IR. Even after leaving, he had to heal up all the way.
They could not just keep him on the roster and not get a kicker.
March 6th, 2018 at 6:23 pm
The previous GM, who much like Licht’s Out “outsmarted” the league early and often ( trading a 1st rounder for Revis to rehab for 1 million per game )…signed Cat Scratch Nugent to a lucrative contract more or less forcing the cutting/ not re-signing of Bryant. Cobra Kai Forbath was a Buc for a short time as well. The kicker jinx ( yes…there’s such a thing ) is alive and well. Lawrence Tynes’ career ended via MRSA from the “Pirate Cove Petri Dish” which is a cousin of The Den of Depression. 🙂
March 6th, 2018 at 6:28 pm
Sweeptheleg Says:
March 6th, 2018 at 5:51 pm
Didn’t the Bucs have Matt Bryant?
I hate liking this worthless pathetic inept sorry as s excuse of a franchise.
I now just revel in them losing from week to week and I laugh and sit back and say “well let’s see how bad it gets this week”
^^^ This times 100. And I’ve been a fan since I sat in the old Tampa Stadium for their first pre-season game in 1976. I sometimes I wonder if I would really care if the Glazers move them to London so I can erase what little interest I have in the NFL once and for all.
March 6th, 2018 at 6:30 pm
It’s really getting tiresome to read the beating of the dead horses…..Aguayo, Bennett et al. Sure, I’m guilty of it from time to time especially when referring to Mark Dominick’s total incompetence, but let’s move on please.
We all know that Licht blew it with Aguayo…..but how does that advance the conversation about kicker going forward?
I say, let’s bring in competition for Murray….I think he will lose out to a better kicker if that happens.
March 6th, 2018 at 6:40 pm
Like I said before..Can’t wait until 2019 when the 3 happless Loseteers Lict/Koetter/Smitty are given the Royal Boot. Then Maybee..Just maybe the Glazers will come to their senses and hire some real football knowledgeable personnel to set this pityful franchise on the right track.
March 6th, 2018 at 6:45 pm
When Licht gets fired after next season, we will look back at his inability to get a kicker as a primary reason. No DE after 5 years will be the first reason for termination. He has really set himself up. I dont think he will ever be GM again in the NFL. His drafts have misses too.
Vegas has this team picked right….6-10 is the prediction. OK, back into my den of depression.
March 6th, 2018 at 6:53 pm
Janikowski was told to hit the bricks in Oakland, at the very least they should bring him in for a workout. If you look at his numbers they’re not great, but those numbers are greatly influenced by all the long kicks he was asked to try. Not at all saying to sign him, just saying he’d be on the short list – and so long as his leg doesn’t weaken he’ll continue to be a big weapon.
March 6th, 2018 at 7:03 pm
Janikowski might even come to Tampa, for some Kielbasa.
Chris Baker messed with Aguayo’s head, if anyone remembers ?
March 6th, 2018 at 7:07 pm
Well, if there were a Free Agent Tracker somewhere on NBC, we could all go target and discuss the right Kicker fits and $$$, etc. Rotoworld had it a week ago, PFT today I believe.
Go Bucs!
March 6th, 2018 at 7:09 pm
Damn phone corrected it for some reason. “NBC” was supposed to be JBF.
March 6th, 2018 at 7:27 pm
Joes.
I wonder how Matt Bryant got away? You do remember he was a Buccaneer, right?
Oh wait, the same way that Michael Bennett got away. Because Mark Dumbonik let them go. The way you guys pretend Dumoronik had nothing to do with legendarily bad personnel decisions is almost comical.
March 6th, 2018 at 7:46 pm
But that is a nice picture of Roberto Aguayo……after nailing a game winning 20 yard FG.
March 6th, 2018 at 7:47 pm
Sweeptheleg Says:
March 6th, 2018 at 5:51 pm
Didn’t the Bucs have Matt Bryant?
lol I think management thought he was too old. Dumb ass’s.
March 6th, 2018 at 8:04 pm
I would be all for a SeaBass signing. Janakowski still has a big leg and works out religiously to The Body By Licht DVD set. A bit sloppy, sure but still effective. I’m a little surprised Gruden let him go as he spent a 1st round pick on him in ‘98 ( or so ).
March 6th, 2018 at 10:44 pm
Shut up Mort. It’s a joke.
March 7th, 2018 at 12:28 am
Roberto actually had a better rookie year than Janikowski – the difference was Twitter didn’t exist in 2000, if it had, Janikowski would have been cut after being a 1st round pick.
JonBuc – It was 2000, but in Oakland I don’t think Gruden had much say in the draft, that was Al Davis’ team, which is why Gruden wanted to leave, he wanted to have complete control – which he got in Tampa after he got Rich McKay fired. Gruden claims he wanted to take Shaun Alexander, and for once I believe him – I don’t think any coach wants to spend a 1st on a kicker.
March 7th, 2018 at 2:52 am
Roberto Aguayo pees sitting down cuz he can’t stand upright(s).
March 7th, 2018 at 7:43 am
I’m of the belief that the Glazers plan is to put a Union Jack on a Bucs helmet.
March 7th, 2018 at 9:53 am
The fact that some here don’t even know what happened to Bryant in Tampa proves how fairweather Tampa fans are.