Martin Gramatica Talks Baker Mayfield, Chase McLaughlin
February 7th, 2024
Kicker Chase McLaughlin
The debate on who is the greatest kicker in Buccaneers history changed a bit this season.
Free agent signee Chase McLaughlin was hammering bombs with ease all year and the dude only missed two field goals in the regular season. And those were blocked and not true “misses.” Yeah, McLaughlin had his first true fail in the postseason — a clank off the left goal post against Detroit from 50 yards.
That earned him a hell of an endorsement from an ultimate source, former Bucs kicker Martin Gramatica (1999-2004).
“The best year as a kicker for a Buccaneer, by far,” Gramatica said of McLaughlin on WDAE radio yesterday.
For those unaware, Gramatica lives in the Tampa Bay area and calls Bucs games for their Spanish language affiliate. McLaughlin drilled every extra point attempt and 93.5 percent of his field goal tries. Statistically, it was the best kicking season in team history.
Re-sign that man before he hits free agency! Joe is 99 percent sure that will happen.
And since everyone loves to talk about the quarterback, Joe will share Gramatica’s thoughts on Baker Mayfield.
In Gramatica’s mind, Mayfield’s leadership, especially pulling the Bucs out of their 1-6 midseason stretch, may have been his greatest impact and accomplishment with the Bucs.
“He put the team on his shoulder,” Gramatica said of Mayfield. “That game against Green Bay where he had a phenomenal game. And then when he needed a first down; it didn’t matter if he had bad ribs, bad ankle, he would lower his head.”
Gramatica added that other little things like blocking on reverses fires up teammates. “That type of grit fires up your team.
February 7th, 2024 at 10:10 am
yeah when your kicker is locked in like he was all season, best to keep your mouth shut and don’t jinx a dam thing…
but yeah chase had an incredible season…
he might have had the best season of any buccaneer on offense or defense…yeah i don’t think a single buccaneer had a better season than our kicker…
go figure that
February 7th, 2024 at 10:11 am
Hell yeah
February 7th, 2024 at 10:11 am
Automattica!!!
February 7th, 2024 at 10:30 am
It would be a blast to get hammered with Martin.
February 7th, 2024 at 10:38 am
Just hope Licht don’t use a draft pick on a kicker to compete with Chase or to replace Chase, being that Licht is known for picking a kicker or punter in the draft
February 7th, 2024 at 10:49 am
I didn’t realize Gramatica was only with the Bucs for 5 years. It felt longer than that.
February 7th, 2024 at 10:50 am
Dave, I remember Martin walking into the hard rock poker room back in like 2009 or thereabouts and played for a couple hours on a weekend night. He’s not the biggest guy obviously, but he’s recognizable for sure. The buzz picked up, there were plenty of photos and handshakes, he was having fun with the folks, kept it classy, it was a memorable time. Martin is one of the people!
February 7th, 2024 at 10:56 am
Conner50 Says:
I don’t disagree but I love the Camarda pick. Camarda is a weapon. Positionally, he may be the best player on the team.
February 7th, 2024 at 10:59 am
Love Gramatica till the day I die!!!!
February 7th, 2024 at 11:14 am
“SlyPirate Says:
February 7th, 2024 at 10:56 am
Conner50 Says:
I don’t disagree but I love the Camarda pick. Camarda is a weapon. Positionally, he may be the best player on the team.”
This, right here. He busted hard on the aguayo pick, but Camarda and Gay have turned into solid pros. The Matt Gay pick wasn’t bad – they gave up too soon on him.
February 7th, 2024 at 11:48 am
@StormyinFl,
I think it was best that the Bucs let Matt Gay go because of our recent history with kickers; Matt was under the gun in that situation. It wasn’t going to work out for either he or the Bucs, in my opinion. We needed a guy like Chase who wasn’t going to falter and let the ghosts of past come and mess things up.
Chase has a strong leg. A great pickup. But, I agree with others that Jake Camarda has been just as critical for us, if not more, with respect to field position.
February 7th, 2024 at 11:54 am
Drafting a kicker in the 2nd round easily looks foolish in hindsight, but most of the blame should be placed on Aguayo himself and not just Licht.
He was the 3rd most accurate NCAA kicker in history but flounders so hard he’s waived after 1-yr and can’t get a job with 4 other teams thereafter? What a fall from grace. Yes the GM set the expectations too high by drafting him that high, but Licht doesn’t line up to kick the field goals.
February 7th, 2024 at 12:06 pm
Kickers are good until they’re not. Give this guy a 3 or 4 year contract and he’ll flake out like the rest after a year or two. They’re all head cases.
February 7th, 2024 at 12:09 pm
Don’t think Baker is sticking around unless Tampa comes up with $40mil/yr for 5 years. He made a mistake once in Cleveland by not insisting on a contract extension after the 2020 season. Hurt all of 2021 and tried to play. Browns buried him by signing Watson in early 2022. He will want security and will get it somewhere—Atlanta or Pitts. If he gets that kind of offer, and Tampa doesn’t want to match I doubt that they will franchise him for one year out of courtesy for his performance in 2023. Good news for the Baker Hate Brigade is you will at long last be able to find fulfillment with Trask.
February 7th, 2024 at 12:10 pm
@SlyPirate
Yes the Camarda pick turned out to pay dividends but he picked him in the fourth round when he could’ve got him in the sixth or even udfa is all I’m saying. Licht don’t hesitate though with special teamers he likes. Gay turned out to be good as well just wasn’t for Tampa at the time
February 7th, 2024 at 12:43 pm
Aguayo was the worst draft pick- ever! Hyperbole? A non-football player in the 2nd round to a perennial loser who was more than a kicker from the SB was brain flat-line of epic proportions.
February 7th, 2024 at 12:49 pm
Dave never had a beer with or met Martine. I did hang out with his brother Bill quite a bit. He is one cool laid back guy.
February 7th, 2024 at 1:41 pm
Aguayo was the worst pick ever? You never heard of Booker Reese or Bo Jackson?
February 7th, 2024 at 4:50 pm
I loved when Gramatica played. So fun to watch.
February 7th, 2024 at 7:29 pm
Re-sign McLaughlin. #4 on our FA priority list.
February 8th, 2024 at 5:16 pm
Dewey Selmon you are an idiot if you’re calling Bo Jackson a wasted draft pick. But I did watch the 30 for 30 on him and it sounded like the BUCS office screwed that pooch. Bo knows Bo Jackson is a sports God in my eyes till he got hurt
February 9th, 2024 at 5:44 am
Joe I am not one of those folks who completely buys in to the premise of No QB…No Super Bowl. I could list some average QBs for you if you insist.
Roger and the owners have created alot of that with all the crazy rules changes/emphasis BS. Thanks Rich Mckay and Roger Goodell! Great contributions to the game guys…Not!
However we found out last year that with a crap O line and the GOAT you also go nowhere. It is still a team sport after all the rule tweeks.
Can Mayfield take us there? Absolutely! So can eight or more other QBs. Draft the next savior….? I don’t do Vegas wise guy stupid stuff anymore.
He may be in this years draft but I don’t think he is in the top six of all the guys the national “experts” are talking about this year. Gonna be lots of busts coming in the next few years. Ought to make us feel better about Jaymiss though. He still a FA?
Go Bucs!
Go Bucs!