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Kicking back Variety of issues swirl around kickers in camp
By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com The last installment in a position-by-position series previewing this year's major training camp battles -- and other significant issues -- from a Fantasy perspective.
Arizona CardinalsBattle Lines: Bill Gramatica vs. Cary BlanchardAccording to Ken Somers of the Arizona Republic, rookie Bill Gramatica will beat out veteran Cary Blanchard, even if Blanchard has a better preseason. The battle has been even so far this summer; Blanchard reportedly has a slight edge in terms of accuracy while Gramatica's kickoffs are much longer. Let's take a look at Tuesday's (Aug. 14) workout results to get a feel for how close the competition has been: Gramatica nailed field goal attempts of 32, 37, 42 and 47 yards before barely missing a 52-yard attempt to the right, kicking outdoors during the early session. Blanchard was perfect from 32, 38, 43, 48 and 52 yards, kicking indoors in the late session. Bottom line: You don't burn a fourth-round draft pick on a kicker unless you're serious about keeping him.
Atlanta FalconsBattle Lines: Jake Arians vs. Jay FeelyAfter spending last year on the Falcons' practice squad, Jake Arians opened camp as the favorite to win this job after team officials decided against re-signing veteran Morten Andersen. However, Arians has been limited since Aug. 3 when he suffered a groin injury. With Arians watching from the sidelines, Jay Feely -- three years removed from a college career at Michigan -- drilled field goal attempts of 30 and 39-yards against the Jets last Saturday night. Feely was already getting enough distance on his kickoffs in camp to make it difficult to dismiss his chances out of hand. Arians returned to the field Monday (Aug. 13), but he's still limited to field goal work at this time. One last note out of Atlanta: Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis told reporters Tuesday (Aug. 14) the fact that neither has played in a regular-season game is "a little unsettling."
Carolina PanthersInjury Concerns: John Kasay (knee -- 12/1999)Kasay hit the field against the Jaguars last Friday (Aug. 10) and kicked in anger for the first time since suffering the first of two consecutive knee injuries that have sidelined him since December 1999. Although coaches continue to watch him carefully, Kasay's recovery is well ahead of schedule. In fact, after gradually increasing the distance of his field goal attempts over the last few weeks, head coach George Seifert felt comfortable enough to send the veteran onto the field to attempt a 60-yarder with no time left in Jacksonville. Kasay narrowly missed the attempt, which coaches view as an indication he's truly put his knee problems in the rear view mirror. Even though he still isn't working on kickoffs at this point, the Panthers are finally starting to feel a little bit better about letting Joe Nedney get away during the offseason.
Chicago BearsBattle Lines: Paul Edinger vs. GM Jerry AngeloAlthough Edinger, the first rookie to lead the team in scoring since Kevin Butler in 1985, seems to have the backing of head coach Dick Jauron, support for the former Michigan State star isn't universal. Unfortunately, the team's recently hired general manager is among those with doubts about the second-year man. In fact, sources close to the situation are of the opinion Angelo might actually be "gunning" for Edinger, who was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after running over some mailboxes in Florida on July 14. A court case is pending with a preliminary hearing scheduled for later this month. Angelo insists he doesn't have any problems with Edinger, but he continues to invite potential replacements in for tryouts. "I just have a thing about [young] kickers," the former Buccaneer personnel boss said. "I don't think you can ever let a kicker relax. You want to see them under pressure all the time. Most of these guys are like quarterbacks, they have to go through five or six places before they land." Edinger is currently battling undrafted rookie Vitaly Pisetsky. According to Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mike Mulligan, Edinger doesn't get as much distance on his kickoffs as Pisetsky, but he's been more accurate and consistent on field-goal attempts. Which probably explains his belief that kickoffs aren't especially important. "I still think it will come down to who makes their field goals," Edinger calmly stated last weekend. "That's what it always comes down to." Angelo disagrees. "The kickoffs are a big deal," he explained. "There is a chart we have that says teams that get to the 35 [on a kickoff] are 35 times more likely to score. Field position always matters, particularly with a team going to a ball control offense." And Angelo fully intends to continue searching for an upgrade at the position just in case Edinger is injured or suffers from what the hard-nosed executive calls a case of "sophomore-itis." "It's not personal, I'm not picking on a guy," Angelo stated. "You just want to make sure. You turn over every stone and put as much pressure as you can on the guy. It's a position that is all about performing under pressure. And in a worst-case scenario -- if he doesn't work out or he gets hurt -- you have to know what is out there."
Cincinnati BengalsBattle Lines: Neil Rackers vs. "Little" Richie CunninghamThe Bengals signed Cunningham to a free-agent contract earlier this year after Rackers struggled mightily as a rookie last season. The 30-year old Cunningham hit five of seven field goal attempts and all nine PAT attempts in a brief stint in Carolina last year. The Panthers waived him on Oct. 3. Although he beat out veteran Doug Pelfrey last summer, Rackers failed to win over coaches after missing nine of 21 field goal attempts. Rackers holds a significant edge in the competition after two exhibition games thanks to his superior leg strength. But unless he gets enough height on the ball to allow his cover guys to get to the return man, it really doesn't matter if he knocks the ball into the end zone every time. Whoever wins this job will benefit greatly from the installation of a new, lush bluegrass surface at Paul Brown Stadium -- a major upgrade over the sand that covered the field late last year.
Green Bay PackersBattle Lines: Ryan Longwell vs. High ExpectationsLongwell heads into the 2001 season as the most accurate field-goal kicker in NFL history with 111 field goals in 131 career attempts, an 84.73 percentage. In fact, the 26-year-old Cal alum led the NFC in scoring with a career-high 131 points, making him the first Green Bay specialist to do so since Chester Marcol in 1974, making 33 of 38 field goal attempts and all of the 32 extra points he attempted. The latter performance extended his consecutive-PAT streak to 70, a streak that dates back to the opening game of the 1999 season. Longwell's 131 points broke the team's single-season record for most points (without touchdowns) of 128, a mark he shared with Marcol (1972) and Chris Jacke (1993), which he tied in 1998 . It also enabled him to become the first player in club history to post four 100-point seasons (1997-2000), breaking the mark set by Paul Hornung and Jacke. He further punctuated his 2000 season by making the first three game-winning field goals of his career (at any level) -- against Philadelphia (Sept. 17), against San Francisco (Oct. 15) and against Tampa Bay (Dec. 24) -- and nailing a career-long 52-yarder at Tampa (Nov. 12). He also became the first kicker in pro football history to average over 80 percent in field-goal efficiency in his first four NFL seasons -- 80.0 in 1997 (24 of 30); 87.9 in 1998 (29 of 33); 83.3 in 1999 (25 of 30); and 86.8 in 2000 (33 of 38). Longwell, who now holds seven team records and is tied for two others, was particularly accurate inside the 40-yard line in 2000, making 17 of his 18 attempts (94.4 percent), with his only miss having been blocked. Both a perfectionist and a tireless worker, the Oregon native has scored at least one point in a team-record 64 consecutive games (every game of his career), and ranks second in the NFL in points scored (492) since coming into the league -- behind only Minnesota's Gary Anderson (503). Longwell also finished the 2000 season as the sixth-leading scorer in Packers history, passing Clarke Hinkle (379), Ted Fritsch (380), Sterling Sharpe (396) and Fred Cone (455) over the course of the year. Along the way, he scored a career-high 17 points in the 29-3 victory over the Cardinals on Sept. 24, making all five of his field-goal attempts to tie the team's single-game record, and both of his extra point tries. Perhaps the most remarkable statistic of his four-year career is his astonishing 86.57 field goal percentage in Lambeau Field (58 of 67), considering the challenging weather and wind conditions he frequently has encountered on game day. One of the most engaging success stories in the Packers' long and colorful history, Longwell made the most of a preseason opportunity in 1997 to capture the team's placekicking assignment and become the club's resident scoring leader. Claimed as a "last-minute" addition on July 10, 1997, after being waived by the San Francisco 49ers, he stepped in for an injured Brett Conway in a preseason game at Oakland and proceeded to connect on all three of his field goal attempts that evening. When Conway's injury failed to respond to subsequent treatment, Longwell went on to lead the team in scoring during the regular season with 120 points, the second-highest rookie total in club annals. Is there anything that can stop this man? How about the loss of Matt Hasselbeck? That's right. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel wrote last week, "As much as the coaches don't want to admit it, they have a problem with their holders." This after Longwell missed an unheard of four field goals in an intrasquad scrimmage. Neither Doug Pederson nor Josh Bidwell has been able to match Hasselbeck's talents as a holder. Pederson is doing most of the holding now, but if he doesn't make the team, Longwell will have to start over with a new holder.
Indianapolis ColtsBattle Lines: Mike Vanderjagt vs. "The Miss" Vanderjagt has looked as loose and confident as ever this summer, but the veteran kicker readily admits that he'll have some doubts in the back of his mind until he rectifies "The Miss," the 49-yarder he botched in overtime during last December's wild-card playoff loss at Miami.The former CFL star figures the only way he can truly put "The Miss" behind him is by putting points on the board every time he's called upon this year. Don't look for Vanderjagt to cave in the next time he's called upon to nail a last-second game-winner. "The Miss" notwithstanding, Vanderjagt thrives on pressure situations. It's also worth noting that Vanderjagt, who has converted 86 of 96 regular-season attempts for an 89.6 accuracy rate, is 14 successful attempts away from taking over for Longwell as the most accurate kicker in league history. Vanderjagt has been nearly automatic on field goals of less than 50 yards during the regular season, knocking down 78 of 84 (93 percent). One last note here: Vanderjagt has changed jersey numbers. After wearing No. 12 for his first three years with the Colts, he'll wear No. 13 this year. "Every time I [miss a field goal] in the playoffs, I change numbers," he explained with a smile.
New England PatriotsBattle Lines: Adam Vinatieri vs. Owen Pochman While Vinatieri is still considered the odds on favorite to retain his job this year, Pochman -- a seventh-round draft pick -- kicked his way right into contention by nailing four field goal attempts against the Giants last Friday (Aug. 10).Pochman, the leading kicker in Brigham Young history, kicked one field goal in each quarter and missed a 43-yarder with nine seconds left in the first half. He credited the Patriots' oldest player, 39-year-old punter-holder Lee Johnson, for his success. "He was able to keep me focused," Pochman explained. "I was able to focus on what I was doing instead of getting caught up on what was going on around me." So, is Pochman a legitimate candidate to unseat Vinatieri? Don't bet on it. ... Vinatieri is a consistent performer who has demonstrated the ability to kick effectively in cold weather. The bottom line is head coach Bill Belichick loves to put his players in competitive situations. "We do have good competition at a lot of positions and I'm sure that contributes a little bit to the urgency and the concentration," the coach said with a rare smile. Look for Vinatieri to see his first game action this year against the Panthers on Saturday night.
New Orleans SaintsBattle Lines: John Carney vs. Jon HilbertThe Saints finally made a move to shore up their kicking game last week by signing former San Diego kicker John Carney -- a player that general manager Randy Mueller was familiar with from his days in Seattle's front office. Carney struggled last season, but the Saints are convinced his problems had more to do with San Diego's 1-15 season than anything he might have done individually. They also believe Carney will benefit from working inside the climate-controlled Superdome. Jeff Hall was released to clear a roster spot for Carney, leaving Jon Hilbert as the only thing standing between the former Charger and a full time gig in New Orleans. Although he doesn't have an overpowering leg, Carney is almost automatic inside of 40 yards. And by golly, that's all the Saints want at this point. Carney will concentrate solely on placement work if he beats out Hilbert as expected. Coaches will ask punter Toby Gowin to handle kickoffs in order to keep Carney's workload to a minimum.
New York GiantsBattle Lines: Jaret Holmes vs. John Markham Although neither man got a chance to show off his skills against the Patriots last Friday night, trust me on this one, there is a heated battle being waged for the right to handle the Giants' place-kicking chores this season.Coaches tested the candidates during an Aug. 4 scrimmage by asking both men to attempt 46-yard field goals. Markham hit his kick; Holmes shanked his. The New York Post reports that both men have shown similar kickoff ability, but Markham, a fifth-round draft pick out of Vanderbilt, appears to have the leg up on Holmes, an NFL journeyman who finished the 2000 season on New York's roster. But I have a word of advice for those of you thinking about drafting a New York kicker: Think again. Whoever wins this job will play half his games in Giants Stadium -- the least kicker-friendly stadium in the entire world.
San Francisco 49ersBattle Lines: Jose Cortez vs. Jamie Rheem vs. Jeff HallBreak out the 10-foot poles gang! Even if I could tell you who the ultimate winner would be you probably don't want to touch any of these guys. Rheem and Cortez were locked in mortal combat until Rheem tore a hamstring right in the middle of a field-goal attempt. The kick was good, but Rheem has already missed a week and doctors say it'll be two more weeks before his torn muscle heals. If that's the case, I'm looking for Cortez to lay claim to this job by kicking the living kapok out of Hall.
Tennessee TitansPlayer To Watch: Joe NedneyIn a move that could easily turn out to be one of the shrewdest acquisitions of the year, the Tennessee Titans acquired Nedney in the offseason after handing 17-year veteran Al Del Greco his walking papers last March. Don't read too much into the fact that Tennessee is Nedney's sixth team in as many years. He comes off a career season in which nailed 34 of 38 field-goal attempts en route to 126 points while kicking for Denver and Carolina. He ranked second in the NFL with 34 field goals and his point total was fourth highest in the league. Along the way, the left-footed kicker also established a Carolina franchise record by nailing 18 consecutive field goals. A San Jose State product, Nedney has connected on seven game-winning kicks as a pro. In fact, he bagged a career-long 53-yarder with just over two minutes left against the Lions -- in Detroit -- resulting in a 17-15 win for Arizona in November 1998. The steady annual improvement in field-goal accuracy Nedney has enjoyed as a pro is what sets him apart from the crowd. After nailing 62.1 percent of his attempts as a rookie with the Dolphins in 1996, Nedney's annual success rates read as follows: 64.7 percent (as a Cardinal) in '97; 68.4 percent (again with Arizona) in '98; and then 71.4 percent in '99 (with Arizona and Oakland) before nailing an impressive 89.5 percent last year. "Obviously, he's been very consistent," Titans general manager Floyd Reese said. "There were a lot of kickers out there, but we felt that Joe was someone who fit our mold and we jumped at the opportunity to have him." Team officials said they couldn't help but notice that Nedney's first five years in the league were very similar to Del Greco's formative years, something they found very appealing. "If you look at him and you look at Al, their backgrounds are very similar," Reese explained. "Al couldn't find a team. He had been with several teams that had not been successful. All he needed was a home. "We think with [Nedney] all he needs is to be told that he's the guy. And his only concern will be getting better." Nedney and Del Greco might share similar backgrounds, but whatever minor parallels the two men share quickly wayside when the physical comparisons begin. Nobody is likely to mistake the physically imposing Nedney, who stands 6-5 and tips the scales at 220 pounds, for the 5-10, 202-pound Del Greco when he trots onto the field this year. And yes. ... The extra height and bulk translate into a stronger kicking leg. Asked about his predecessor, Nedney told reporters he has long viewed Del Greco as a role model. "I've adopted one of his philosophies: 'Keep kicking as simple as you can,'" Nedney explained. "It's an honor for me to follow in his footsteps. He's a 17-year veteran and those are some big shoes to fill. ..." Nedney probably knows what he's talking about after replacing Pete Stoyanovich, a fan favorite during his seven seasons in Miami, as a rookie. "I've been in a lot of pressure situations," Nedney said. "That's kind of the job description. I thrive on that, I love the adrenaline rush of knowing I can go out and alter the mood of 70,000 people [in the stadium] with one kick. That's why I play." And you don't run across many kickers with that kind of attitude. One last note here: Team officials were impressed when Nedney connected on a pressure kick from 52 yards with seven seconds left on the clock in the first half of Tennessee's win over the Bears last Saturday (Aug. 11). He nailed a 23-yarder earlier. "I can't say enough about that kick [just before the half]," head coach Jeff Fisher said. Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications. His work is prominently displayed in all four FSP Fantasy annuals -- Fantasy Football Pro Forecast, Fantasy Football Experts Poll, Fantasy Football Cheatsheets and the Fantasy Football DraftBook. ... Look for all four on newsstands nationwide or Order them online now!
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