Kickoff specialist

[BigDFan5]

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/k/benjones.html


Ben Jones from Purdue seems like he has a cannon for a leg. Go to google and google "Ben Jones touchnack" and you will find a game where he had 6 touchbacks in one game , and multiple games where he consistently hits 65 yard kickoffs

 

[rkstevens]

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/k/benjones.html


Ben Jones from Purdue seems like he has a cannon for a leg. Go to google and google "Ben Jones touchnack" and you will find a game where he had 6 touchbacks in one game , and multiple games where he consistently hits 65 yard kickoffs

Definitely sounds like a great option. A kickoff specialist who can get 2 touchbacks a game would be like having a special teams guy who gets 32 tackles on kickoffs at the 20 yard line. I know most kickers don't get that many touchbacks in a season, but I think it's because most teams place more importance on being accurate on field goals over making deep kickoffs. We don't have that worry with Vanderjagt so we just need to get someone who can kick the ball long. Definitely worth the roster spot, even if we had signed Vinatieri.

 

[jrumann59]

Personally I think it is so stupid to have a kicker or punter that can't kick off well because one those 2 would be kicking off. Why waste a roster space on a KO specialist. Better yet just score TD's and make the PK inactive then you could use the KO specialist after all the TD's you score.

 

[MapleLeaf]

...is needed, then a big legged free agent rookie should do the job.

There won't be the pressure on him of trying to get it through the uprights on a regular basis.

He would be fresh enough to try the 3 to 4 (55)+ yard field goals a season knowing that there is no pressure in trying to make them.

Vanderjagt's experience could be used for kicks under 50 yards and any short kickoffs.

Also we may be able to spend some time and develop a kicker with some potential for once.

Lastly his kickoffs will allow the special teams to relax if he consistently gets TBs. That could potentially be worth 1 to 2 less injuries a season on our team.

IMO that easily worth a rookie free agent contract and a roster spot.

 

[rkstevens]

Personally I think it is so stupid to have a kicker or punter that can't kick off well because one those 2 would be kicking off. Why waste a roster space on a KO specialist. Better yet just score TD's and make the PK inactive then you could use the KO specialist after all the TD's you score.

I used to think it was stupid too, but the more and more I think about it, I wonder why more teams don't have one. What would a special teams only guy like Nate Jones or Keith Davis (prior to last season) be worth to you if he could get 16-20 tackles a season on kickoffs? Now what would that guy be worth if, on his tackles, the kickoff returner got no further than the 20 yard line, which also assures it's not a long return or a kickoff return for a TD? What would it be worth to have teams starting at the 20 or 25 yard line, as opposed to the 32 or 35 yard line? What would the wear and tear saved on our special teams players be worth (including Vanderjagt who won't have to kickoff)? It'd be worth a roster spot to me. That's the way I look at it -- not as a spot to cover up Vanderjagt's weakness at kicking off, but as a chance a few times a game to start your opponent at the 20. And if a kickoff specialist can get a TB once or twice a game, I think it's fair to compare him to a special teamer that gets 12-24 tackles a season. A good kickoff specialist would have more impact on your kickoff coverage than any special teamer you can throw out there. Imagine playing San Diego or Kansas City knowing that on a kickoff, there's a good chance Darren Sproles and Dante Hall are just going to be watching the ball sail into the end zone.

 

[jrumann59]

The thing is you now only carry 4 OL, or 5 DL, or 6 LB, or 6 DB, or 3 RB, or 4 WR, or 2 TE or 2 QB on the active roster. You are effectively limiting your gameday depth and you run the risk of having one of you upper echelon guys getting hurt because now he has to play ST. Not to mention ever since they moved the kick off point back there are fewer TB, they aren't kicking off from the 45 any more so the occurance of TB are rare, there are but a handful that can kick it into the endzone now and if they do the opposite team can field it and have ample space to make a play. I just do not see the logic of having a third guy on the roster that may only see 4 plays a game and cannot contribute in other areas. But I guess to each their own.

 

[billknows]

I'll take him and go with 3 RB's

 

[Rack]

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/k/benjones.html


Ben Jones from Purdue seems like he has a cannon for a leg. Go to google and google "Ben Jones touchnack" and you will find a game where he had 6 touchbacks in one game , and multiple games where he consistently hits 65 yard kickoffs

Sounds good, but 65 yard kickoffs is about where Billy Cundiff kicks them, and Cundiff did it was decent hang time.

 

[Fred Smith]

I'd like to see us get Stephen Gostkowski from Memphis, but we probably won't get him unless we want to use a 4th round draft pick on him.

 

[BigDFan5]

Sounds good, but 65 yard kickoffs is about where Billy Cundiff kicks them, and Cundiff did it was decent hang time.

From all the things I was reading 65 yards was his average including shot kickoffs, thats a full 4 yards better than Cundiffsand a couple yards longer than Vinatieris average. 65 yard average is around Mares kickoffs which are best in NFL

 

[Rack]

From all the things I was reading 65 yards was his average including shot kickoffs, thats a full 4 yards better than Cundiffsand a couple yards longer than Vinatieris average. 65 yard average is around Mares kickoffs which are best in NFL

I also mentioned Cundiff's hangtime. He may not of boomed his kickoffs (although they weren't bad) but he put a lot of air under them.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I'd like to see us get Stephen Gostkowski from Memphis, but we probably won't get him unless we want to use a 4th round draft pick on him.

We currently don't have a 4th, but if we did and used it on a kicker :bang2:

 

[BigDFan5]

I also mentioned Cundiff's hangtime. He may not of boomed his kickoffs (although they weren't bad) but he put a lot of air under them.

Yeah I neglected the hangtime because it was correct and that was one of the resons his kickoffs were ok.

As for a kicker I figure if the bottom roster guy is a special teamer that you are developing might as well develop the kicker whose kickoffs on special teams would be an advantage for us IMO