Elliott Fry Is Cut; 5-Day Kicking Competition Emerges
September 1st, 2020
Talks backup kicker planning
The Bucs must make a slew of roster cuts to get down to their official 53-man roster by Saturday at 4 p.m.
And they just signed a veteran kicker late yesterday.
Joe wrote about the new addition of 12th-year veteran kicker Ryan Succop. But what makes his acquisition especially interesting is that Succop obviously performed well in his tryout with the Bucs, otherwise he wouldn’t have gotten the job. So in comes Succop with perhaps a small leg up on second-year man Matt Gay, who hasn’t had a great training camp.
Regardless, it’s literally a five-day kicking competition in Bucs camp. But there’s a twist here because Succop punted in college and actually had two punts for the Chiefs in the NFL.
Yesterday, Joe asked Bucco Bruce Arians about what kind of unique options are created by new rules that allow veteran players with an unlimited amount of experience on the newly expanded practice squad rosters.
The head coach explained that a versatile kicker is key.
“You would never anticipate having a backup punter, kicker or [long] snapper on the practice squad with the limited numbers, but this is a unique year to where you could possibly have those type of players on your practice squad – preferably a guy who can punt and kick would be an eligible practice squad guy,” Arians said.
Joe hasn’t seen any terms on Succop’s contract, which could tell quite a story if he got guaranteed money. But it’s possible Succop is making the veteran minimum with no guarantees, and is ripe to be cut and land on the practice squad for $12,000 per week.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:16 am
No brainer. Three Ks on the team. One is PK, one P, and one can do either/both. Good call by the Bucs.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:19 am
Succop would be a good PS player with that punting versatility……also would be replacement if Gay falters.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:27 am
Ndog Says:
December 21st, 2019 at 7:55 pm
See what pisses me off is people act like today’s performance is the same as other high TO games. It simply isn’t true, today he played Horrible football, but as example the Carolina game was no where near as bad as today. That game he was under constant pressure, his Ears gave crap effort, we had no running game and the defense was crap. Today everything was working around him and he played poorly. Why can people just be honest about what happens?
yeah @ndog, when the team played great during the 2nd half of the year, JW did not…simple as that!!!!!….and now he’s a 3rd string QB….and after throwing 30INTs he’s lucky to still be employed…
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 1st, 2020 at 9:41 am
Well, things are looking better than what they did 24 hours ago in the kicking department. That’s encouraging
September 1st, 2020 at 9:42 am
Joe I smell what you’re stepping in with this partial comment, “a small leg up on second-year man Matt Gay”. Nice.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:51 am
813bucboi: Somebody out there sees things a little differently than “THE YOU PEOPLE MOVEMENT” Good Morning!!
September 1st, 2020 at 9:58 am
Succop is a proven, steady vet. Gay is a headcase, I’m done with kickers and their little emotional issues
September 1st, 2020 at 10:17 am
Succop is coming off rehab from knee surgery on his kicking leg. He was poor after initial rehab. The team needs to proceed with caution.
But if he’s 100%, he can be solid based on his track record.
Gay has had more than ample opportunities to nail down that job for many years, and has not done it.
Too bad. The kid has a monster leg.
September 1st, 2020 at 10:20 am
813bucboi…you have to be fair, now.
Jameis got 5 years and a huge boatload of cash to get what should have come two years plus earlier. No one else gets that kind of opportunity. And only idiots waste it. Winston did. You can bet none of these kickers get that much rope. It’s quite likely that neither Gay/Fry nor Winston are NFL-caliber players.
September 1st, 2020 at 10:22 am
This would make since if practice squad players didn’t go through waivers and could be protected from being poached. Even the 4 PS protected players are exposed until Tuesdays at 4pm. This isn’t only a problem with stashing a quality back up kicker/punter it’s also too risky to put Wr Tyler Johnson. I think he may put on the pup list.
September 1st, 2020 at 10:34 am
At this point all we can do is laugh at our kicking woes.
It’s genuinely a tragic comedy.
September 1st, 2020 at 12:05 pm
@unbelievable
At what point will you look at the GM????? Instead of hysterically laughing/crying, why not try looking/blaming the “real” problem?????? Or will you continue to shake your fist at the clouds, pray to the Greek gods, and wonder what voodoo curse is causing the roster mistakes over and over again???????????
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 1st, 2020 at 12:45 pm
3 or 4 kickers, 4 or 5 quarterbacks and 37 tight ends enough said.
September 1st, 2020 at 2:10 pm
The best “kicking” will happen the day after the regular season when the gm and ole stale biscuit are “kicked” to the curb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 1st, 2020 at 3:23 pm
Like Realisto always says, I’m riding with Gay on this one