Greg the aging leg

gimmesix

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It bugs me that we didn't bother to bring in any competition for Greg Zuerlein. He's 33 and has been kicking for 10 seasons, so his struggles from long range last year may just be a sign he's wearing down.

I guess Dallas is riding with the fact that he made all but one kick inside the 50 (31 of 32), but he was 3 of 9 from 50 and beyond. If we're not going to challenge him in camp, then we need to at least limit our 50-plus-yard attempts this season to end of half/game situations. No use giving the other team great field position if he's likely to miss those kicks.
 

gimmesix

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Doesn't one of the punters in camp also kick? You need two kickers in camp just so you don't wear out one. Real competition would be nice, though.

Bryan Anger kicks off and is good at it, so he'll probably take that role off Zuerlein. In fact, that's one reason I think he'll be kept over Niswander, even though I'd prefer that we keep the younger punter who had slightly better numbers than Anger last year.
 

gimmesix

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I would been down with taking 1 in the draft and signing one as a UDRFA. It’s not popular but, ya really don’t want issues kicking field goals. Anyone remember 05 until we got Bailey?

That and the end of Bailey's run. His last two years weren't very pretty.
 

jazzcat22

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It bugs me that we didn't bother to bring in any competition for Greg Zuerlein. He's 33 and has been kicking for 10 seasons, so his struggles from long range last year may just be a sign he's wearing down.

I guess Dallas is riding with the fact that he made all but one kick inside the 50 (31 of 32), but he was 3 of 9 from 50 and beyond. If we're not going to challenge him in camp, then we need to at least limit our 50-plus-yard attempts this season to end of half/game situations. No use giving the other team great field position if he's likely to miss those kicks.

oh I don’t know, howl old was Eddie Murray when he kicked the game winning FG in OT against the Giants to give us home field advantage in 1993, when Emmitt played with an amputated arm.
 

Hawkeye19

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Bryan Anger kicks off and is good at it, so he'll probably take that role off Zuerlein. In fact, that's one reason I think he'll be kept over Niswander, even though I'd prefer that we keep the younger punter who had slightly better numbers than Anger last year.

Yep.

And handling the KOs will preserve Zeurlein’s leg. He has a great relationship with Fassel, and now his longsnapper is on the team.

He may not be reliable from 50+ out anymore, but anything from 45 or less should be money
 

Jipper

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33 as a kicker is like 29 as a rb....know you have a few very good years left but that the drop off could happen at any time.

It’s not a big deal but there is definitely risk every year that we go....I’d say plan about 3 years from now for a new guy
 

Bullflop

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We should get a good look in OTAs and the minicamp as to what's going on with Zeurlein and his FG attempts. Maybe the team would see fit to bring in another kicker if the situation calls for it. Perhaps we'll see how things go in that regard before that happens.
 
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John813

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Yeah but he is like Brady. I don't think they have ever made two of those guys. Well, maybe Ray Guy.

Of course. Not every kicker can go into their 40s but early 30s for good kickers doesnt mean as much compared to RBs for example.

I mean guys like Folk was still in the league last(?) Year and we all remember his mental collaspe here when he was young.

The op has a point in that as they get older their range does seem to drop. But iirc range wasn't an issue as it was accuracy, unless he was hooking kicks due to getting away from his technique in order to kick it that far.
 

Rockport

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It bugs me that we didn't bother to bring in any competition for Greg Zuerlein. He's 33 and has been kicking for 10 seasons, so his struggles from long range last year may just be a sign he's wearing down.

I guess Dallas is riding with the fact that he made all but one kick inside the 50 (31 of 32), but he was 3 of 9 from 50 and beyond. If we're not going to challenge him in camp, then we need to at least limit our 50-plus-yard attempts this season to end of half/game situations. No use giving the other team great field position if he's likely to miss those kicks.
It never ends.
 

blueblood70

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It bugs me that we didn't bother to bring in any competition for Greg Zuerlein. He's 33 and has been kicking for 10 seasons, so his struggles from long range last year may just be a sign he's wearing down.

I guess Dallas is riding with the fact that he made all but one kick inside the 50 (31 of 32), but he was 3 of 9 from 50 and beyond. If we're not going to challenge him in camp, then we need to at least limit our 50-plus-yard attempts this season to end of half/game situations. No use giving the other team great field position if he's likely to miss those kicks.
stop kicking FGs from that long of range, how about scoring more TDs, getting more First downs, picking on kicker because he isnt great at over 50 is well making excuses for are overrated Offense..

i rather have consistent kicker form 48 in then the Maher type who could nail 70yarders but inside 40 sucked balls..

think of it this way the coaches know the situations and knowing so will make them be more aggressive to avoid FGs..
 
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