Signed by Cowboys Cowboys sign K/P Maher

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

On the 53 man roster? Remember when we had to carry two kickers because Van der Jagt couldn't do kick offs? Parcells nearly had a coronary. Of course, we followed that up by actually drafting a kick off specialist.

Love the tuna. LLLOOLLL

 

[gimmesix]

Difference in punting in the CFL and NFL? First the CFL is a 3 down league, NFL a 4 down so the CFL teams rely heavily on their kicker. Second, the CFL field is 55 yards long but a yard is a yard no matter how you measure. Third the CFL gives the punt returner a 5 yard space to catch the ball before being hit. No blindsided kick returners so distance on punt returns is a premium.. Fourth all CFL stadiums are outdoor and weather is more of a factor for kickers. Fifth, because it's a 3 down game, many CFL games see 10-14 points scored in the final 5 minutes and FG kickers are used to pressure kicks late in games. We could do a lot worse than a kicker who has had success in the CFL trust me. Yah, he won't replace Bailey but give him a break in camp and pre-season games. Wise signing

It's interesting that he was signed last March by Cleveland and released that May. I wonder why that happened.

 

[Nightman]

On the 53 man roster? Remember when we had to carry two kickers because Van der Jagt couldn't do kick offs? Parcells nearly had a coronary. Of course, we followed that up by actually drafting a kick off specialist.

We keep 10 OL and 8 LBs and 4 TEs but Kicker is the leading scorer on most teams

Even Extra Points are 33 yd FGs

maybe train the Punter or anyone else but someone better be able to placekick

 

[northerncowboynation]

It's interesting that he was signed last March by Cleveland and released that May. I wonder why that happened.

Who knows? It's the Dog pound

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

It's interesting that he was signed last March by Cleveland and released that May. I wonder why that happened.

You did say Cleveland, right?

 

[gimmesix]

Who knows? It's the Dog pound

Appears the reason was that Cleveland drafted a kicker. Here's the article:

Kicker Brett Maher’s time in in Cleveland didn’t last long, as he was signed by the Browns on March 20th. The writing was on the wall for Maher, when the Browns used pick No. 224 in this year’s draft on kicker Zane Gonzalez. Gonzalez and Cody Parkey will battle for the starting kicking job, which many Browns fans hope Gonzalez can win.

As for Maher, he spent the past three seasons, in the Canadian Football League and played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last season. In Hamilton, Maher was 41-of-50 (82 percent) on field goals last season with a long of 58 yards. He also handled the punting duties with the Tiger-Cats where he averaged 45.9 yards per punt and a long of 89 yards.

As for what is next for Maher, his old team in Hamilton is still looking for a kicker. Perhaps his other former team, the defending Grey Cup Champion Ottawa Redblacks, would love to have him back. But for now, it appears Maher will most likely be kicking in Canada again next season.

 

[gimmesix]

Another article on Maher, on his return to Ottawa last season:

Stepping onto the TD Place stadium field on Saturday morning, Brett Maher felt as if he was home.

A hero with six field goals in the Ottawa Redblacks’ first Canadian Football League victory — 18-17 against the Toronto Argos on July 18, 2014 — Maher has returned to the team after spending last season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Ray Early, who booted two field goals in Thursday’s 30-29 pre-season win against the Ticats, was released.

“I was starting to get a little itchy. I’d been home for longer than I wanted to,” said the 27-year-old Maher, who wore No. 13 in practice Saturday. “Obviously coming back here is a very comfortable situation for me. This was really my first go as a professional. My family was able to be up here during that season. To share that with them and have that be my first experience was phenomenal. It always has had a special place in my heart.”

So why bring in a new kicker? Why release Early?

“We needed to be better,” Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins said. “In training-camp practices, the numbers weren’t there. That comfort level to continue on with Ray just wasn’t there. He has ability, he just needs to develop consistency.

“(Maher’s) somebody who has proven he can do it on a consistent basis. As much as the other guys did well in the pre-season game, we have to look at the whole of training camp, and the performance level just wasn’t up to par. We felt this is something we had to do. We wanted to have this settled sooner rather than later.”

“He’s going to make a big difference for us,” Redblacks head coach Rick Campbell said.

Zack Medeiros is still in camp, but there’s a chance Maher could handle punt, kickoff and field goal duties. Maher, who received a look from the Cleveland Browns during the offseason, had been hoping for further interest from National Football League clubs.

“The NFL was still on their radar, but eventually they came around to understanding what our sensitivities were timing-wise and they decided to come to Ottawa,” Desjardins said.

“It really happened pretty quick,” Maher said. “If you’d have asked me a week ago if I thought I’d be here, it would probably have been not.”

If not for a hip injury during offseason training before Redblacks training camp in 2015, Maher may never have left. He wasn’t ready for training camp, was later brought back during the regular season, but was released after a four-game stint. He then signed with the Ticats, making 41 of 50 field-goal attempts and averaging 45.9 yards per punt in 2016.

“Kicking in Hamilton is not exactly the easiest thing with the conditions there,” Desjardins said.

“There were some talks (with the Ticats) before training camp. We were a little ways apart from getting that done,” Maher said. “There are a lot of good people there, I absolutely wish them the best. But I’m really excited to be here.”

Maher said he was ready mentally and physically.

“I feel like I’m better now than I ever have been,” he said. “Part of that is because I did get that surgery (labral repair of the hip) done when I did and I was young enough to be able to bounce back.”

Maher’s wife, Jenna, and daughters Maela (who turns three on Tuesday) and seven-month-old Laekyn, will soon join him in Ottawa.

“If I have a good day, bad day … it doesn’t matter … they run and give me a hug,” Maher said. “It has been an absolute blast.”

 

[jrumann59]

It's interesting that he was signed last March by Cleveland and released that May. I wonder why that happened.

His Schtick got tired...

 

[OmerV]

We keep 10 OL and 8 LBs and 4 TEs but Kicker is the leading scorer on most teams

Even Extra Points are 33 yd FGs

maybe train the Punter or anyone else but someone better be able to placekick

The thing is kickers rarely get hurt, and if they do there are plenty of guys sitting at home to step in the next week like Nugent was last year. And kickers don't really have to get into playing shape - they don't run much, and when they do they can run away from contact and nobody cares.

 

[Nightman]

The thing is kickers rarely get hurt, and if they do there are plenty of guys sitting at home to step in the next week like Nugent was last year. And kickers don't really have to get into playing shape - they don't run much, and when they do they can run away from contact and nobody cares.

IDK.... I saw several games last year when the Kicker got hurt and some OL had to fill in

JHeath had to K for us last year

 

[OmerV]

IDK.... I saw several games last year when the Kicker got hurt and some OL had to fill in

According to NFL.com there were 6 XP attempts and no FG attempts by non kickers last year. The 6 XP attempts were by 2 players, one of which was a punter, and the other of which was Jeff Heath. in both cases the team had a kicker back doing the honors the following week.

 

[conner01]

This guy may actually give Chris Jones a run for his money in camp. Don't be surprised if he beats him out.I hear he is outstanding.

He’s not beating out our best ball carrier
He avg 27 yards per carry
Zeke should take notes

 

[gimmesix]

He’s not beating out our best ball carrier
He avg 27 yards per carry
Zeke should take notes

Our best tackler too.

 

[CPanther95]

My brother was a camp leg for the Panthers. Fun summer, decent paycheck, won't even sniff a preseason game.

 

[Redball Express]

So does that mean they won’t be drafting a punter in the 4th round?

Nor a QB.

Go figure.

 

[northerncowboynation]

It's interesting that he was signed last March by Cleveland and released that May. I wonder why that happened.[/QUOT

The thing is kickers rarely get hurt, and if they do there are plenty of guys sitting at home to step in the next week like Nugent was last year. And kickers don't really have to get into playing shape - they don't run much, and when they do they can run away from contact and nobody cares.

Didn't we play two games last year where the FG kicker for the opposing team got hurt. Not to mention Bailey. Tell Chris Jones you don't have to run or be in shape. He laid out some kick returner a couple of years ago. It was beautiful!!

 

[Iron_Man]

Philly should be nervous now...