Report: Bucs Cut Connor Barth
August 29th, 2014
Connor Barth is a darn good kicker, but he’ll be kicking for another team in 2014.
Per WDAE-AM 620, the Buccaneers’ flagship station, Barth has gotten the boot from the roster.
It seems undrafted, inexperienced Patrick Murray won the job — or Jason Licht has a move in store.
Barth, per ESPN, had a base salary of $2 million this season and could have earned up to $3.15 million via roster bonuses. Joe suspects an unemployed kicker would come significantly cheaper.
Former Pro Bowler Rob Bironas, who the Bucs worked out this month, made 25 of 29 field goals (86.2 percent) last year (2-for-3 from 50+ yards) and was perfect on extra points. Barth missed all of last season and is a 84.2 on field goals for his career.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Wow… Did we not learn our lesson last year? I was one of the first who said we wouldn’t miss Barth much. I was wrong. Hope this doesnt come to bite us in the ass.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:19 pm
This makes no sense to me, why would they cut him?
August 29th, 2014 at 3:21 pm
With Murray taking over FGs and presumably becoming our new KOS, how much longer do we continue to pay Koenen?
I was very impressed with how Murray kicked in training camp and the preseason. Barth was nice, but Murray’s got the same, if not better, boot and at 1/4 the price.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:21 pm
UHHHHHHHHHHHHH…. I dont know what to say other than TRUST.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:27 pm
We could probably add Incognito for what Barth was making….maybe?
August 29th, 2014 at 3:27 pm
I am usually on board with the moves Lovie and Licht make, not this time. I think this is a terrible decision. Barth is a damn good kicker, especially from beyond 40 yards. I guess only time will tell if Murray can be as clutch.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:27 pm
I think we keep Koenen he is worth the money
August 29th, 2014 at 3:27 pm
This just in!!!! English kickball team short on petty cash. American football team dumps salary and sends over a new supply.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
That Lovie is smart isn’t he? Had his presser early today before the real shots are being fired. Won’t have to explain it until the next presser. lol.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
I hope this doesn’t cost us any games. I would be more comfortable with the proven player. We’ll see I guess.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:29 pm
Saving 2-3 million. Maybe there is another signing that’s about to happen and they’re being a little incognito about it.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Mesage to all pro athletes making millions of dollars…
If you injure yourself in a charity contest you are an idiot…
Goodbye Connor you really let us down last year… I hope the charity game was a lot of fun for you…
August 29th, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Ahh, it didn’t take long for someone to bring up the nsame Incognito in this totally unrelated story.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
Bring back Ryan Lindell!! JK really surprising move maybe they will bring Rob B back?
August 29th, 2014 at 3:35 pm
Matt, breath a little. This is just a sports blog.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:37 pm
Not sure why people are so worked up about this. Barth is coming off an injury that cost him an entire year meaning he is just as much a risk as Murray. In addition, these coaches see these guys kick every day in practice so I am sure they have a good feel as to who is the better kicker. I am sure if they thought this move was more likely to cost them even one game this move would not have been made. The bonus is the extra cash they pick up.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:40 pm
Murray had a good camp. Plus, Bironas, likely Shayne Graham, Jay Feely are unemployed.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:41 pm
This is absolutely horrible if true. I never worried when Barth came on the field. He’d make pretty much whatever kick you asked him to.
Then came last year. And I’m pretty sure that some random hack free agent off the street, who may be cheaper, will cost us games at some point this year. Just like they did last year.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Ryan Lindell AND his wife….LMAO!
August 29th, 2014 at 3:45 pm
That will teach you to not play basketball in the off-season.
Can only speculate he wasn’t very good in practice during camp.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:47 pm
Great move by Licht. He may be the best GM this team has ever seen. Now sign Incognito!
August 29th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Scotty,
Actually I believe it was Lawrence Tynes who had the nasty wife.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:52 pm
Oops…you are right lightning.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
@ stratobuc
Are you proposing we bring in Incognito to be our kicker? If so I love it!
August 29th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
That pic that joe keeps posting with his leg in the air makes me confident he would be a good kicker.
August 29th, 2014 at 3:58 pm
Smh..
August 29th, 2014 at 3:59 pm
If you guys only knew how many NFL players played basketball in the offseason. How do you think these guys stay in shape – running on the treadmill? Sapp Brooks, Dunn, and a ton of others used to always play at the YMCA when I was in Tampa.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:01 pm
Maybe it was his leg injury from last year that put doubts in lovie n lichts mind.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:02 pm
Hopefully we sign K Dustin Hopkins the former FSU man aka golden boots.. If this cut was a salary move how come we still have our punter
August 29th, 2014 at 4:05 pm
Murray is cheaper and younger with equal accuracy and stronger leg. He can also punt. If Lovie feels confident in his reliability, then Barth only has the advantage of experience. Not too surprising.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:06 pm
“Mesage to all pro athletes making millions of dollars…
If you injure yourself in a charity contest you are an idiot…
Goodbye Connor you really let us down last year… I hope the charity game was a lot of fun for you…”
this is just a callous comment by an idiot…you just let down the team fanbase.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:08 pm
“Are you proposing we bring in Incognito to be our kicker? If so I love it!”
That only works in canada. Murray beat Barth in camp, and he’s 2.5 million cheaper. Big mystery there, eh?
August 29th, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Did not see this coming. This has to be a cap adjustment for another surprise. This new management is full of ‘gotchas’.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:11 pm
I don’t like this. Unless,like you said Joe, maybe Licht has something planned already. It will suck if he ends up in the NFC south!
August 29th, 2014 at 4:12 pm
I’m sorry, but I don’t want to hear anything about the team finances and such. They are of little concern to me. What I am concerned about is the fact we have released a very good kicker for someone who has talent but is inexperienced.
I could care less how much Barth costs the team. Experience matters and experience comes with a price. As I understand it the Bucs still have over $7 million in cap space.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:13 pm
Hesitant as I am to say this, I trust them.
As long as this isn’t another salary dump of a player from a previous regime – bc a lot of moves have felt like “my team, my choice of players”
August 29th, 2014 at 4:15 pm
We do have a lot of linemen kickers up here lol. I get that Murray beat Barth out and that he is a lot cheaper. It’s still worry some to trust in a guy who doesn’t have much NFL kicking experience over a guy who was very trust worthy when he lined up to kick the ball
August 29th, 2014 at 4:16 pm
It a risky move that can cost 1-3 games. What a mistake to save a few bucks. Conner has done it and come through big when it counts. Murray looked good at practice but who knows what will happen when the game is on the line.
I can’t even began to explain to the idiot who begrudges Conner for getting injured raising money for a charity. What kind of a-hole do you have to be to even come up with that thought but less write it down. You just hope and prey that people like that don’t make decisions that can impact anyone else in this world.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:20 pm
Business decision…saving some bucks. Good luck Barth.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:20 pm
We aren’t making a move unless it is replacing Koenen too. Murray has looked great.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Barth can’t even do kickoffs, and was being paid way too much.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Didn’t anyone see the difference between the two of them kicking off? Barth rarely put it deep into or through the end zone and Murray always did. Differences in field goal accuracy and distance were pretty equal, but Murray will be just fine.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:22 pm
He was a great FG kicker though.
Great.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Murray will need a nickname. All our kickers have nicknames…tradition. Hate to see Conner go.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:25 pm
I don’t know if you guys were listening, but Ronde Barber telegraphed this move from the booth last night. I heard him but dismissed it as booth chatter. He knew something was up.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:34 pm
I think this means that GMC is now the longest current tenure with the Bucs. I hope that the Bucks don’t waste time of McCoy being in his prime. They need to make the Playoffs!
August 29th, 2014 at 4:38 pm
Gotta love the negativity from some of you. “risky move that could cost 1-3 games”. Really? How about a smart move that may win a few games? He appears to be just as accurate with a stronger leg which could result in a win from a longer attempted FG. In addition, with the additional cap room, maybe they are able to add another Guard or a player at another position of need which could result in a win. The inability of some people to see future upside is why some people continue to be losers.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:42 pm
People love to complain.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:46 pm
bring back Nate Askew
August 29th, 2014 at 4:55 pm
Doesn’t really mesh with Lovie’s statement to use all of this year’s cap…. unless a signing is coming.
August 29th, 2014 at 4:58 pm
Connor Barth equally as inexperienced when he became the starter. 🙂
August 29th, 2014 at 4:58 pm
This has raged me greatly. He was my one mr reliable next to healthy Geraldini. #bucrage
August 29th, 2014 at 4:59 pm
I liked Barth a lot, but I saw this coming.
August 29th, 2014 at 5:00 pm
Well this one is a shocker. I dont like it, but then again none of us really know how good Patrick Murray is. He kind end up being better than Barth. And look on the bright side, we saved us some more $.
August 29th, 2014 at 5:01 pm
Barth is from my home town and I have met him at several charity events. He is a great guy and is very philanthropic.
To suggest that he was cut or should have been cut because of his participation is absurd.
It is possible that he lost some ability from it….but to me, it seems like simply business…supply & demand.
I will surely miss him and wish him well!!!
August 29th, 2014 at 5:02 pm
Bucs have a history of going with the young kicker with the long accurate leg. From bill capece, Iggy, Michael husted, Gramatica, they’ve always put thiosw guys ahead of the older accurate but no distance kickers (at the time) like Yepremian, ariri, Willis and Bryant. Yes I know Bryant kicked a 62, but by 2009 50+ FGs were iffy. Barth lost his power, couldn’t hit the boomers!
August 29th, 2014 at 5:02 pm
We had Kai Forbath in camp one year and let him get away. Hopefully Murray does well like Kai.
August 29th, 2014 at 5:03 pm
Murray looked pretty solid to me. Besides, every time I start to doubt, Light does something like bring in a All-Pro Guard. If freeing up the money from Barth allows Light to pull off a little more magic, so much the better.
Not to mention that I was hoping Murray would get the job, if only because of his name. My last name is Murray and my son’s name is Patrick Murray… Looks like I’m going to have to buy another jersey. Lol
August 29th, 2014 at 5:04 pm
@ Niko:
Love the Iggy reference. Don’t forget Obed.
August 29th, 2014 at 5:16 pm
dumping salary for GMC contract…
plus Murray is very good and young and cheap.
Another SMART move by L&L.
Go Bucs!
August 29th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
I think L&L have been doing what is good for the teem so this must be good or maybe just what has to be done, I think maybe we can use the money to get more win now players.. Ya baby..
August 29th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
You can bet this was Licht’s idea. If he can find someone who can accomplish the same production or even more production for a fourth of the money, he is going to pull that trigger. That is smart management. I like Licht’s judgments on players with the exception of QBs. I just wish he would fill needs in the draft instead of going with best player available, but if he had not brought in our new TE, he wouldn’t have been able to deal Wright for a six time Pro Bowler either. I have a feeling that Licht probably is the one who got Lovie to realize not to buy Warhop’s advice on keeping Cousins as a starter. If that is true, I am really thrilled we have Licht on board to help guide Lovie on Offensive moves. I think he is going to use this cap space to get us a better Guard after Johnson did not look spectacular yesterday.
August 29th, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Conner, thanks for all you did for the team and the community. Best of luck in your next assignment (except against the Bucs). You can tell the fans appreciate your work!
August 29th, 2014 at 5:44 pm
Why are we keeping Bowers? No clue what he’s due to make but zero production isn’t worth anything.
Worthless turd.
August 29th, 2014 at 5:44 pm
Stupid stupid stupid,…we’ve NEVER had a better, more clutch kicker to my memory. Connor Barth is so underrated and underappreciated. This effing sucks!
August 29th, 2014 at 5:47 pm
Value, people. Value.
Barth was very very good for us, but obviously the young guy looked as good or better in camp. Let’s hope this kid doesn’t crumble in the regular season.
Freeing up cash for GMC’s next payday. Smart.
August 29th, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Connor Barth was slightly above average… you can call him solid or decent or even good but to call him great, awesome or excellent is silly…
In other news the Philadelphia Eagles put A.Benn on IR today… another wasted Duminik 2nd round pick…
August 29th, 2014 at 6:28 pm
Murray was first team AP All American Kicker in 2012 with a long kick of 55 yards and kicked 25 of 30 attempts that included 4 of 6 from 50 yards plus and a long of 55 yards. Also, he averaged 46 yards on punts. Little guy; big foot.
August 29th, 2014 at 6:48 pm
Hope this new guy doesn’t kick like our kicker last year whatever his name was….doesn’t matter he SUCKED!!!!! This could cost us some games. I sure hope not or I will be PISSED!!! Barth doesn’t miss very often. He doesn’t get nervous. Oh well water under the bridge now.
August 29th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
“This has raged me greatly”
Wow! You can get in a Rage over a Kicker? Really??
Connor was a good Kicker. Thank you sir, and Good luck!
They think Murray is special! And cheaper
And May one day handle kicking and punting
Which would allow us to keep an extra FOOTBALL player
Pretty sure this kid has been kicking a football since he was 6. That’s enough experience for me
Congrats Kid!
Rage? {Yawn}
August 29th, 2014 at 6:55 pm
We’ll keep Koenen because the Bucs know we will likely be punting quite a bit, especially initially.
August 29th, 2014 at 7:04 pm
New regime…new rules with L&L. Its a given in the NFL when the new staff comes in…the players know there is no loyalty to players from (old staff) the Dominic – Schiano staff.
Connor was getting paid too much for a 84% FG rate.
Murray showed enough this preseason to win him the job.
I was not aware of the college stats –thanks Buddha–but that is promising. Its college though…NFL lights can be bright. I think he will do well.
August 29th, 2014 at 7:18 pm
For you fans that think the Bucs are cheap, he got injured on his time and the Bucs paid his salary last year.
August 29th, 2014 at 7:25 pm
Ryan Lindell literally cost us games last season with his poor kicking. Barth was a great kicker, the only logical explanation is that he was unable to kick well after his injury and Murray was perfect.
I just really hope this doesn’t turn out like it did with Matt Bryant. Barth was a helluva kicker.
August 29th, 2014 at 8:08 pm
Mr. Mudge Says
“Murray is cheaper and younger with equal accuracy and stronger leg.”
Agree with all but the “equal accuracy” point. We won’t know if he is equal or better until the end of the season.
I don’t like this at all. Reminds me of the release of our oline. Lovie must think kickers grow on trees. He hasn’t been here for our multiple kicker searches.
Murray is a big gamble. I’m not saying he cannot work out. I just think putting him on the PS would have been the smarter way to go.
If Lovie and Licht say this isn’t about money, they are lying to our faces.
August 29th, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Some of us kept asking Joe for updates ob Barth all thru training camp. Never got them. “It’s just kicking” is all we got.
Maybe if we had heard some news we would have seen this coming.
August 29th, 2014 at 8:11 pm
@Capt.Tim, back from Davies Jones’s locker
How would Murray handle both kicking and punting? Has he done it before?
August 29th, 2014 at 8:20 pm
I’ve been waiting for an NFL team to have one guy do both kicking and punting. I’m shocked it hasn’t happened yet. It gives you an extra roster spot. I don’t think it will happen this year, but I wouldn’t doubt it in the near future.
August 29th, 2014 at 8:22 pm
Question. Didnt a team lose their kicker this week? Did Licht miss out on a trade? Barth would have been 3rd round material at least.
August 29th, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Trade…LMAO! Rob Bironas, Jay Feeley, and looks like soon to be Alex Henery from Philly. These are just a few names of kickers on the street. Supply and demand advanced metrics have shown most kickers who make to the NFL pretty much make the same percentage of kicks. Barth missed kicks too, he was fortunate most of his misses didn’t come at the end of games. An early miss can lose a game also, fans just don’t complain as much about those.
August 29th, 2014 at 9:10 pm
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Koenen is switched out for a punter off the waiver wire by early next week.
August 29th, 2014 at 10:04 pm
if it’s a close game…and a playoff game spot is on the line and we miss a makeable field goal…I think I’ll Barth! ;(
August 29th, 2014 at 10:06 pm
Little doubt about the physical abilities of Murray however, does he have the mental mettle to kick a game-winning 48 yarder with 3 seconds left? We always hear that the pro games are 80-90% mental. We know that Barth is reliable, he has done it. Taking a chance on an unproven rookie to save money may cost us games, especially early in the season.
If this move is to save cash, how has Koenan’s salary not made him a liability?
August 29th, 2014 at 10:29 pm
Is this a win now move??
August 29th, 2014 at 10:29 pm
I wouldn’t assume it was just to save cash. I think Murray outperformed Barth and has more leg. Sure, they don’t know if he’ll be cool in clutch situations, but I think it’s a calculated risk. They look at everything and I’m sure they have a sense that he has the right mental makeup.
August 29th, 2014 at 11:30 pm
Has anyone seen Murray’s career stats at Fordham? They are substandard for a college kicker. Shocked he even got an audition with those stats.
August 30th, 2014 at 1:36 am
Buccaneer Bonzi
Here is an Exerpt from a Rick Stroud Column, posted in “The Tampa Tribune”
“Murray, the undrafted free agent from Fordham, won the job based on his toughness and versality. He was an All-America punter and place-kicker at Fordham two years ago.”
Yes, voted All American as a Punter, and as A place Kicker.
L&L are looking to save Money- and Hopefully an even more valuable Roster spot!
August 30th, 2014 at 1:38 am
tankforJameis.
Yeah nothing like being an all American at two different positions, to cue the world in to the fact that you are an underachiever.
Why do I bother with some of you!
August 30th, 2014 at 9:02 am
When you retain a quality player and save 2.5 million to sign others to help this team win, I would say yes, this is a win now move.
August 30th, 2014 at 9:46 am
Funny, last year we were lamenting Barth’s loss due to injury, crying for his return….. What a difference a year makes!
August 31st, 2014 at 12:45 am
When you retain a quality player and save 2.5 million to sign others to help this team win, I would say yes, this is a win now move.
——————————————-
and if we miss a crucial kick or two? I hope not…but I felt a lot more confident with Barth. 2.5 million in nfl salary is nothing really.