Too Old To Kick?
May 2nd, 2019
Talking kickers.
The Bucs once upon a time had a helluva kicker.
The guy’s name was Matt Bryant. He actually holds the Bucs’ team record for longest field goal. But for reasons still not clear, when former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik was promoted to run the football operations of the Bucs, he decided to nickel and dime Bryant in a contract hassle.
In early September 2009, the Bucs released Bryant in favor of Mike Nugent. It was one of the worst moves the Bucs have made in their sorry but rich history of bad moves.
Bryant went on to become one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history and but for a couple of years with Connor Barth (pre-Achilles injury), the Bucs’ kicking situation has been a complete trainwreck since.
Even worse, Bryant signed with the Dixie Chicks and for the past nine seasons has tormented his former team twice a year.
Well, this offseason, the Dixie Chicks released Bryant, who will turn 44 later this month. Last year, though battling injuries, Bryant made 20 of 21 field goal attempts, which by Bucs current standards is like someone with the Rays batting .400.
Since Bryant is looking for work and the Bucs kicking situation is, well, the Bucs kicking situation, Joe wondered if the Bucs might give Bryant a look-see. After all, the Bucs hired Keith Armstrong as special teams coach. He was Bryant’s special teams coach in Atlanta for Bryant’s full tenure there. Who would know Bryant better?
But today while discussing the thought process of drafting Utah kicker Matt Gay last week, Armstrong hinted that the Bucs wanted to go younger than Bryant.
Keith Armstong: When we came here we said we were going to create competition. So we feel like if we had two kickers, alright, and one can obviously kick off really well and we have a punter that can also kick off, that’s competition. So how do you make people better? Competition. Well, we have competition.
JoeBucsFan.com: Speaking of competition, you were obviously in Atlanta with Matt Bryant. Was there any thought to bringing Bryant in for a tryout or did you lobby the powers here that maybe Bryant should be brought in for a tryout?
Armstrong: I think we were in a situation where Cairo [Santos] was here and we were looking for a younger guy we wanted to bring in. Obviously, nothing is off the table. All options are always open.
So there you have it. The Bucs didn’t want to toy with a kicker who is just a handful of years away from joining AARP.
Joe gets that it is not ideal to have a kicker is in his mid-40s. It’s not unheard of but it’s not ideal.
You want to know what’s less than ideal? Having the circus the Bucs have had with kickers since Barth blew out his Achilles in a charity basketball game.
Whether or not the Bucs ever bring back Bryant, Joe just hopes the Bucs finally fix this unending kicking nightmare before heads start rolling in a suit-ordered reprisal.
May 2nd, 2019 at 3:48 pm
This definitely ‘Stubborn’ Joe.
Let it go Dude.
Should we call Donald Igwebuike? 4th time all time leading scorer for the Bucs, I hear he is looking for an NFL Salary.
May 2nd, 2019 at 3:59 pm
Mark Dominik was promoted to run …..Joe do you mean prompted?
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:04 pm
I would not bring Bryant back just because I’m affraid to repeat a past mistake. That’s losers logic.
It is embarrassing we are the only team in the league that cannot find a kicker. Lost count howany consecutive years it has been. Sure looks they wanna find a young kicker so that position can be addressed now and heading into the future.
Signing a one year Bryant is a easy way out that comes with it’s own set of risks. Licht had to put his pride on the side to draft another K……..that much I can appreciate.
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:05 pm
Cameron Frye was 100% on FG’s for the Orlando Apollos. Perfection under NFL level pressure. Just saying.
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:12 pm
Sounds to me like you might have cherry-picked what Keith Armstrong said Joe. Looks like he closed with the words “Obviously, nothing is off the table. All options are always open”. Kinda sounds like Bucs wanted to go younger, which we did via the draft, but that the Matt Bryant OPTION is open & still on the table. Can’t see it happening given our salary cap situation & other NEEDS, but Coach Armstrong didn’t sound to me like he was ready to close that door just yet.
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:15 pm
The Bucs coaching staff must just suck in drafting a premier college kicker in the fifth round as competition to the current roster. What a horrible idea when Matt Bryant is available.
Alexa, tell me a joke.
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:16 pm
I mean, “Joe, tell me a joke.”
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:22 pm
a 2nd / 5th/ and future mid rounder on 2 kickers and a punter…
a position where usually the best starters were not drafted
7D CHESS LICHT lol
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:22 pm
Don’t be dumb. Bryant’s two field goals beat the Bucs roughly four months ago.
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:31 pm
we will we stop kicking the tires on kickers…..
GO BUCS!!!!!
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:34 pm
Joe, he was actually let go because of injury in 2009.
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:48 pm
:sigh:
4 months of constant licker and “edge” complaining.
It’s like logging onto Joe Ex-Wife Fan…
May 2nd, 2019 at 4:53 pm
Bring back Iggy!
May 2nd, 2019 at 5:06 pm
A little Licht math should illustrate the rationale here:
$$$Bryant >$$$Santos + Rookie Kicker.
May 2nd, 2019 at 5:10 pm
How soon we forget what a weapon Zuerlein was for LA. Totally changed the stategy in the playoff game.
Gay has the potential to do the same thing. If he simply replicates his college success we are truly GOLDEN!!!
Bryant is never a true weapon…he was adequate and with the bar set so low here in Tampa I get the desperation…but we should ALL be rooting that Gay is the real deal. If he is add another win or two to our record!!! Literally!!! Bryant could keep us from losing..Gay can actually win games.
May 2nd, 2019 at 5:38 pm
Yes that is correct Joe it was Dominek… YOUR FAVORITE ex GM to ask opinion on the Bucs! I’m one article you say how crappy he was and then the next you post his opinion like it’s from God! Can’t wait for dumb arse Licht to be fired so then Joe will post his opinions as fact!
May 2nd, 2019 at 5:44 pm
Thats funny , Cobra.
We have had so many late round misses at WR’s, Running backs, Kick returners, etc. If the kicker works out , it will probably make little or no
difference to the future of Jason Licht. Having to redraft the same position and sign free agent agent to replace bad free agent signings is more of an issue ,IMO.
May 2nd, 2019 at 6:09 pm
hiring matt bryant, even in the very best case scenario, would have the bucs back on the kicker carousel after next season. and that’s the BEST case – at this age there is a significant risk of soft tissue injury or a flat out decline in performance that costs the bucs games early in the year like so many of his predecessors
Pretty much any new kicker is a coin flip at best to solve your problem long term. f you’re going to take that risk, why not focus on guys who COULD stop the madness for 4+ years if they can survive their first 4 games?
May 2nd, 2019 at 6:13 pm
Based on the statistical FACT that any pick past round 4 is a high-odds crap shoot, I’m OK with taking a chance on a guy who maybe hopefully crossed-fingers could stabilized the position.,
I will wait to judge. Color me jaded.
May 2nd, 2019 at 6:19 pm
I will state this with a degree of authority: Gay%s mechanics are far superior to Aguayo. AND he has the leg strength to not have to over kick longer tries.
In the dozens of film clips of the guy, I have yet to see him look up before completing the follow-through.
Santos has good mechanics, too, but a much weaker leg.
That said, and based on leg strength, I don’t quite understand his issue with kickoffs.
May 2nd, 2019 at 10:44 pm
So boring.. you know for a fact he was waived injured.
May 2nd, 2019 at 11:24 pm
He’s not too old…Morton Anderson played until he was 47. Bring him in.
May 3rd, 2019 at 1:06 am
Truer words have never been spoken. What a disastrous move my Dom.
Worse than Darelle Revis.
Worse than Michael Bennet.
May 3rd, 2019 at 5:32 am
The NFL is a TOUCHDOWN driven league. There is absolutely no correlation between having a great or good kicker and winning. Hump was/is a great slot receiver and the pick should have been his clone Hunter Renfrow from Clemson. In business , when you lose a valuable productive team member , your goal should be to replace him/her with someone of at least equal or potentially more capability. Hunter Renfrow was all that , but FREAKING LICHT BRAIN REACHES FOR A KICKER AGAIN. FREAKING KICKERS DO NOT SCORE TD’s. LICHT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOSSED IN THE BAY WITH KOETTER.
May 3rd, 2019 at 10:51 am
I don’t know which was worse. Letting Bryant go or Bennett.