ESPN Mosley: More on the Cowboys' kicking situation

[WoodysGirl]

May 7, 2009 10:10 AM

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Folk

On Wednesday, we wondered aloud whether the Dallas Cowboys knew Pro Bowl kicker Nick Folk was about to have hip surgery when they drafted USC kicker David Buehler in the fifth round. My suspicion was that they had to know it was at least an option, but a Cowboys source told me that's not the case.

Tuesday's surgery on Folk's right hip "came out of left field," according to the source. The hip injury was reportedly bothering Folk the final five weeks of last season, but the club thought a couple months of rest would do the trick. Folk is expected to be healthy in time for training camp, but at least the Cowboys have a Plan B now.

If Folk's healthy enough to handle the place-kicking duties, Buehler will likely be the kickoff specialist and holder. And since I've read a lot of people criticizing Folk's kickoffs the past couple seasons, you should know former special teams coach Bruce Read asked him to do a lot of directional kicking. Folk has a powerful leg, so I don't think it would be that difficult to turn him into a decent kickoff man. If you're going to carry a kickoff specialist to the games, the goal would be at least 30 touchbacks per season.

 

[burmafrd]

I really doubt that the Boys did not know about this beforehand.

 

[Future]

Every time I read about kickers I get more and more mad that we drafted Buehler in the 5th

 

[cowboyjoe]

I really doubt that the Boys did not know about this beforehand.

im sure they did, best i remember before the club releases a player at the end of the season, before he goes off on vactations etc, he undergoes a physical

also, like someone mentioned, when offseasoning conditioning started, way before the draft in march best i remember, all players reported for physicals and working out, so im sure they knew;

 

[garyv]

I do think the new Kicker can earn his spot not only as a Kickoff Specialist but as a holder for FG which Brad Johnson was the man but you might see him line up as a Fullback because hes that damn tough and has played it before.

 

[casmith07]

I do think the new Kicker can earn his spot not only as a Kickoff Specialist but as a holder for FG which Brad Johnson was the man but you might see him line up as a Fullback because hes that damn tough and has played it before.

:bang2:

 

[NorthTexan95]

I think I like having him be the holder. He's certainly athletic enough to catch an errant snap or run a fake.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

30 touchbacks per season? the ****

 

[dest]

Do you know how much a kickoff specialist would have helped us the last few seasons with Bruce Read's special teams? KO's were regularly being returned to the 35.

I was just as pissed about the pick as everyone else, but the more I've thought about it, if this kid can get us some touchbacks, it was a good pick.

 

[jterrell]

There were scouts that loved the selection! ... as even Mosley has begrudgingly noted.

This guy can simply boot the ball and we needed that.
Mosley's caterwauling aside, Folk was NOT a good kickoff guy. We didn't directionally kickoff to avoid free touch backs. We directionally kicked off because the kickoffs were landing at the 5 and getting returned 30 yards.


It occurred to me PLENTY of times last year that we needed a kick off specialist because it was such a glaring weakness. In many of our uglier losses.. i.e. Arizona, we saw the kicking game bite us big time.

We took 12 guys all after the first day so you can basically guarantee about 4 will be awful. What I WILL guarantee is this guy can kick a mile and isn't a wasted draft selection. This is the kind of draft pick that looks great in 4 years because the team got a player they have a plan for without reaching.

 

[jobberone]

It appears the Cowboys did not know he had a labral tear. So they dropped the ball altho that's a very difficult diagnosis to make presurgery. At least it used to be.

 

[DBOY3141]

It appears the Cowboys did not know he had a labral tear. So they dropped the ball altho that's a very difficult diagnosis to make presurgery. At least it used to be.

I think someone dropped the ball and considering some of the injuries we had last year, I think while Jerry is cleaning house, he needs to take a hard look at his medical staff. The season ended the last week of Dec and this guy has surgery the first week of May? Come on, he should have been given two months to see if it gets better, if not, get surgery. Now he may or may not be ready by the time training camp starts.

Watch and see, he will rush back and be hampered all of camp.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

There were scouts that loved the selection! ... as even Mosley has begrudgingly noted.

Even Gosselin admitted it was a good pick... And he'd rather have a root canal than do that.

 

[jobberone]

I think someone dropped the ball and considering some of the injuries we had last year, I think while Jerry is cleaning house, he needs to take a hard look at his medical staff. The season ended the last week of Dec and this guy has surgery the first week of May? Come on, he should have been given two months to see if it gets better, if not, get surgery. Now he may or may not be ready by the time training camp starts.

Watch and see, he will rush back and be hampered all of camp.

Again labral injuries esp in the hip have been difficult to diagnose presurgery. I don't fault them for not knowing about it and I suspect any surgery he had was exploratory arthroscopy with subsequent repair upon finding it. I do agree with you this should have been diagnosed sooner. They watched this too long altho please remember we don't know what he was advised up to that point or his role in the informed consent process. Perhaps he told his surgeon(s) to hold off on exploratory procedures.

He should be ready for TC and that's all that matters. How this may affect his performance is uncertain but likely only positive.

 

[CIWhitefish]

No one "dropped the ball". The article clearly states the club knew about the injury but were hoping that rest would be the ticket instead of surgery. It was resorting to surgery that was the surprise. Hey, sometimes rest alone isn't enough. It happens.

 

[igtmfo]

This directional kicking thing ..

Hey wouldn't the Cowboys know if Folk "could be" a good straight-ahead kickoff guy, and they would have held off drafting Buehler if he could be?

It's like the media is acting like the only voice of reason, pointing out that Folk was kicking directionally at less-than-full-strength ... and that this escaped the coaches' notice ... and so we mistakenly drafted a kicker, without trying Folk as a straight-ahead kickoff man.

Maybe between both depth of kick and hang time, Folk isn't a premier any-kind of kickoff guy ...

 

[jobberone]

No one "dropped the ball". The article clearly states the club knew about the injury but were hoping that rest would be the ticket instead of surgery. It was resorting to surgery that was the surprise. Hey, sometimes rest alone isn't enough. It happens.

I don't think they knew he had a labral injury. I doubt anyone 'knew' it until they put the scope in there even if they may have suspected it.

 

[Quarterback Coach]

30 touchbacks per season? the ****

what's a touchback...how do we get one of those...i don't remember seeing one lately...