Another Kicker Arrival, A Former Pro Bowler
August 30th, 2020
Stressful times for Bucs kicker Matt Gay
Update 10:33 a.m. – Joe has a very strong idea of what’s now happening at One Buc Palace when it comes to kickers.
It is Joe’s belief that Matt Gay is the heavy favorite to win the Tampa Bay kicking job for opening day. After all, newcomer Elliott Fry is not having a strong training camp and has no NFL game experience, so why exactly would the Bucs let Fry be their opening-day kicker? He missed more kicks today at practice.
Word broke over the weekend that veteran kicker Ryan Succop was in Tampa for a visit, and now NFL Network is reporting former Pro Bowl kicker Cody Parkey is in town preparing to get his workout. Parkey’s last great season was in 2017, when he drilled 91 percent of his kicks for the Miami Dolphins.
Bucco Bruce Arians said after practice this morning that he hopes neither kicker signs elsewhere before the Bucs can get a good look.
This year, thanks to new rules because of The Sickness (aka The Virus), teams can have up to six NFL veterans with any amount experience on their expanded practice squad. Those vets will earn $12,000 per week.
So Joe is extraordinarily confident Parkey or Succop will get signed with the understanding that they’ll get one of those cushy practice squad gigs if they can’t beat out guy in less than one week. Final cuts are next Sunday.
Of course, if Gay, who hasn’t had a special training camp, melts down between now and then, perhaps he won’t be the opening day kicker.
August 30th, 2020 at 10:20 am
I hate kickers.
August 30th, 2020 at 10:26 am
Can’t we sign a robot K?
August 30th, 2020 at 10:26 am
You hate to miss FG’s, but missing the extra point is a momentum killer too. I want a kicker who can at least hit those consistently.
August 30th, 2020 at 10:31 am
Mr. Double Doink himself!
Succup or Gay, plz thx.
August 30th, 2020 at 10:38 am
Not thinking Parkey as the answer either, but at least he’s not injured. I remember how he got run out of CHI two years ago. A bad game, sure. But he’d been increasingly kicking clunkers. I’d bet by tomorrow Fry is gone (free him up to find anoter team, or not) and Gay and either Succop or Parkey are the two kickers.
I’ll add that the practice squad money ($12K) may not be enough to keep them around. The Bucs may need to pay them the annual league minimum or better salary, which for players that have 7 years, is about $1M.
August 30th, 2020 at 10:42 am
Has any team ever had so much kicker drama, year in and year out. We’re talking about a kicker.
August 30th, 2020 at 10:51 am
I gonna go ahead and second the robot kicker idea.
August 30th, 2020 at 10:55 am
Im guessing Gay doesnt make the team….accuracy trumps range and not time to screw around
August 30th, 2020 at 11:33 am
Umm why not get Matt Bryant and reverse the curse?
August 30th, 2020 at 11:40 am
How does 1 GM have so many issues with bringing in 1 damn reliable kicker? I just don’t get it! I mean, Licht has used a second rd pick and still can’t get it right. A SECOND ROUND PICK!!!
For the record, ngakoue was drafted like 10 spots after Roberto. Sorry to make you sick to your stomach on this Sunday 😳
August 30th, 2020 at 12:10 pm
Sign both Parkey and Succop, it’s too late in the process to be messing around with kickers. Maybe Gay needs to be put on the practice squad in case of the sickness.
August 30th, 2020 at 12:15 pm
Has Gostkowski signed with the Titans? Is he radioactive because of the hip surgery?
August 30th, 2020 at 2:14 pm
Parkey is a pretty solid kicker. He’s has 6 years nfl experience out of Auburn. He’s had two great years, two years just under 80% and two years where he only kicked a few times. Last year was one of those he went 3/3 fga. He’s got a good leg he’s 80% from 50+ on 10 attempts.
August 30th, 2020 at 2:36 pm
Just put Suh and Vea in the backfield and punch it in for 2.
August 30th, 2020 at 2:45 pm
Tired 87
Because Bryant is high risk for Covid being in a nursing home and all…
August 30th, 2020 at 5:01 pm
I gotta go with the robot kicker idea…
August 30th, 2020 at 5:32 pm
Let’s bring Tom Dempsey back from the grave.
August 30th, 2020 at 9:03 pm
Here’s a quote from the very first Bucs coach, John McKay…Kickers are like horse manure. They’re all over the place.
August 30th, 2020 at 9:05 pm
And another kicker quote from McKay…On place kicker Pete Rajecki having a bad camp with the Bucs because McKay made him nervous: I don’t think he’s got much of a future here, because I plan on going to all the games.’
August 31st, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Joe, do you have any information on why Gostkowski has not been looked at?