The 2008 K thread (1 Viewer)

[Mike Herman]

JASON ELAM, freeagentguy

Jason Elam's agent disputed reports that his client is considering retirement if the kicker doesn't re-sign with Denver. Elam already has visits planned next week, Jack Reale said. And while Reale wouldn't name teams, Atlanta, Seattle and Kansas City have vacancies. As for the Broncos, negotiations apparently are not dead, just on hold until Elam returns from his vacation to Israel. "I wouldn't characterize it one way or the other," Reale said. "We'll just see how things develop."

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[Mike Herman]

MIAMI

The Dolphins continue their work to improve the special teams, signing kicker Dave Rayner to a one-year contract on Tuesday according to his agent. Rayner, a former Michigan State standout who was selected by the Colts in the sixth-round of the 2005 draft, spent a portion of last season with the San Diego Chargers. He was signed by San Diego at the end of the season to serve as a kickoff specialist when starter Nate Kaeding injured his foot making a tackle on kickoff coverage. Last season Rayner, 25, averaged 63.9 yards on his seven kickoffs for the Chargers, who had Kaeding continue handling the field goals and extra points. Rayner, whose 334 points makes him Michigan State's all-time leading scorer, has also played for the Packers and Chiefs. He's 41-of-58 on field goal attempts, converting 14-of-24 attempts longer than 40 yards. He's also converted 45-of-46 extra point attempts.

He's well respected for his kickoffs, which happens to be Jay Feely's weakness. Last season, Feely averaged a career-low 57.8 yards on kickoffs. The Dolphins new coaches have expressed an interest in having punter Brandon Fields handle the kickoffs in training camp. That means Rayner would have to prove he's beaten his accuracy issues to unseat Feely, who had a career year last season (converting 21 of 23 field goals), for the starting job.

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[Mike Herman]

MIAMI

Dave Rayner had a career-high 11 touchbacks for the Packers in 2006 and has made 70.7 percent of his field goals (including 14 of 24 from 40 yards or longer). Rayner is a long shot to unseat Jay Feely, who converted a franchise-high 91.3 percent of his field-goal attempts (21 of 23). Jay Feely, 31, had just eight touchbacks, but was often asked to squib kick because the coverage teams were so inept.

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Kicker Greg Whibbs put on a show late for the numerous scouts in attendance. He worked out for the special teams coach from the Seattle Seahawks last week, who told Whibbs the organization was looking to draft a kicker and Whibbs was one of four they were looking at. But Whibbs’ top accomplishment may have been with his arms. The 5-foot-9, 167-pounder bench pressed 225 pounds 14 times — more than four of his teammates who were position players.

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[Mike Herman]

DENVER

Now that Jason Elam is back in the country, the Broncos hope to resume talks with their free-agent kicker this week. The two sides have general parameters in place for a multiyear deal, but there is a serious hang-up regarding guaranteed money, particularly for the 2008 season. Elam has been the Broncos' kicker since 1993, making him the team's longest-tenured player. He finished his 15th season with 15 consecutive field goals, although the Broncos have enough concern about the range of a 38-year-old kicker to want contractual protection. Elam was due to return Wednesday from a Holy Land visit in Israel, where he was accompanied by Broncos center Tom Nalen and former teammates Dan Neil and Matt Lepsis.

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[Mike Herman]

JASON ELAM, freeagentguy

FOX 31 Sports Director Eric Goodman reports that Elam will meet with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday and Thursday, March 19 and 20. Elam has said that he is hesitant to move his family from Denver. But, his hometown is Atlanta. It was reported previously that he would consider playing for the Falcons, if he didn't reach a deal with the Broncos.

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The Ravens also signed free agent kicker E.J. Cochrane today. Cochrane (Montana State) previously spent parts of the 2006 preseason with the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers, and also participated in Philadelphia's 2007 training camp. "E.J. is a guy that we've watched for a while," director of player personnel George Kokinis said. "He had been at some kicking camps that we went to. I think he has a strong leg and gets good height on the ball and good hang time. Over the last few years, he's really worked on his consistency and accuracy. He's matured a little bit. Early in his career, you're just thinking of him as a kickoff guy, but the last couple of years, he's refined his technique."

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[Mike Herman]

DENVER

After a series of contract proposals were exchanged this week, the Broncos and kicker Jason Elam have decided to at least temporarily part ways. Elam will visit the Atlanta Falcons next week. There's a good chance Elam will know Thursday night where he will be employed in 2008. "I am going to be taking a trip to Atlanta," Elam said. Although the Broncos and Elam have been unable to close a $1 million-plus gap in guaranteed money for the 2008 season, talks have been amicable. The Broncos want Elam back but they need money for other possible moves and the upcoming draft. Elam understands. If the Broncos don't budge, the Falcons would be Elam's next choice because he grew up in the Atlanta suburbs. Other teams have also expressed serious interest in Elam. Elam has been the Broncos' kicker since 1993. His 395 career field goals rank fifth on the NFL's all-time list and his 1,786 points are sixth. He has previously stated a goal of 2,000 career points, which would require at least two more seasons.

So who would kick for the Broncos if Elam leaves? Matt Prater handled kickoffs in the final two games, but the Broncos will bring in competition. The pickings, however, may be slim. Olindo Mare, 35, is the most recognizable remaining free agent and there doesn't appear to be another Mason Crosby in this year's draft, although the Broncos could use a late-round pick on the likes of Wisconsin's Taylor Mehloff, Louisville's Art Carmody or St. Xavier's Shane Longest.

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[Mike Herman]

ATLANTA & DENVER

If proximity counts, Jason Elam is closer to becoming an Atlanta Falcon than he is a Denver Bronco. Way closer. Elam, the Broncos' kicker the past 15 seasons, is in Atlanta visiting with the Falcons. "We'll see what transpires," said Jack Reale, Elam's agent. The Broncos are standing firm on the three-year offer they believe is comparable to, if not better than, the current deals of other aging kickers. Elam may be 38, but there is evidence he is not a typical aging kicker. His four walk-off, game-winning kicks last year were the most by an NFL kicker since 1990, and he finished the season by making his last 15 field-goal attempts. With 1,786 career points, which rank sixth in NFL history, and a stated goal of reaching the 2,000 milestone, Elam wants to kick at least two more years. The Broncos' proposal has virtually no money guaranteed past 2008.

linkGEORGIA

Brandon Coutu, viewed by some among the top kickers in the draft, already had worked out privately for Baltimore and Seattle.

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[Mike Herman]

ATLANTA & DENVER

Negotiations between Jason Elam and the Atlanta Falcons, and possibly between Elam and the Broncos, had carried into the night Thursday. The Broncos' kicker for the past 15 years, Elam became a free agent and spent the past two days visiting his hometown Falcons after negotiations with the Broncos on a three-year deal reached an impasse. The Falcons were in serious negotiations with Elam throughout the day Thursday. Two NFL sources said the Falcons' offer was more lucrative than what the Broncos had last presented but that Elam was going to give his team of 15 years an attempt to sweeten its proposal.

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[Mike Herman]

ATLANTA

Jason Elam is jetting out of town again, and this time it has nothing to do with his side pursuits as a pilot. The Broncos' all-time leading scorer is leaving the only NFL team he has known for 15 seasons to sign a free-agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Elam will get $9 million over four years, including $3.3 million in guaranteed payouts. Elam walked away from a standing three-year offer that would have kept him with the Broncos to return to his childhood home. He grew up in Snellville, Ga., and was a three-sport athlete at Brookwood High School. He maintained a home in Braselton, Ga., after college before putting down roots in Colorado in 2003, and he still has family members, including his mom, in the Atlanta area.

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"It's a weird feeling and I never anticipated this," said Elam, "I loved being in Denver. Mike Shanahan, Pat Bowlen , and the ans were great to me. I envisioned retiring in Denver, but this is the nature of the business." Elam knew his days were numbered when the Broncos offered him a 3 year $7 million deal, but the proposal had virtually no guarantee past the 2008 season. When the 38-year-old was at Dove Valley last week, he felt it could be his last time at his home for the last 16 seasons. "I knew they were moving on. Their offer was clear."

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[Mike Herman]

ATLANTA

The locale, kicking in a dome, the new coaching staff and a franchise excited to compensate him handsomely were the selling points for Jason Elam not to return to Denver or take a trip to Seattle, which also wanted him to visit. Elam met with Falcons officials Wednesday and Thursday.

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The move came after a two-day visit to his former Georgia stamping grounds and after Denver failed to budge off its long-standing three-year offer that was heavily backloaded, without ever raising the ante. "I'm not surprised. I wish they would have," Elam said of the Broncos' steadfast approach to the negotiations. "But they came up with figures they thought were fair. It wasn't a strong push. . . . The contract they offered me, I felt was a Band-Aid a little bit - 'Let's kick Jason until we can groom someone else.' And it's their team, and they can do whatever they want to do. But that's not the approach Atlanta's taken. It was, 'You're our guy and we want you to be for a while.' It was just two different approaches. And it was just nice to really pursue me hard and say, 'Hey, you're the guy that we want.' "

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan called Elam about a week ago, telling him he understands the economic realities and he hoped he would return to Denver. But Elam maintained he has known for a while the end was near playing in the city in which he was drafted as a third-round pick in 1993. His departure leaves center Tom Nalen as the only holdover from the Broncos' two Super Bowl champions in the late '90s. "I knew it was pretty much over in Denver. But I really don't want it to be about that," he said. "I've had an awesome time in Denver. . . . I have some great memories. It's 15 years. I never dreamed I'd play 15 years with a great organization like Denver. And while I'm leaving, I hope and pray all my relationships remain intact and they don't take this the wrong way. I know from their side, it's definitely a business decision within the parameters they've been given. I understand that."

With Elam joining Atlanta, his career has come full circle. He grew up in Snellville, Ga., and had a permanent residence in Braselton until 2003. His mother lives in the area, and his brother was just stationed there as part of his military service. "We can actually move into the same neighborhood we moved from, if we wanted to," said Elam, who has four young children. "It's just like a 10- minute drive from the Falcons complex."

Elam's $2.25 million annual average salary trails only St. Louis' Josh Brown ($2.84 million), Indianapolis' Adam Vinatieri ($2.4 million) and Philadelphia's David Akers ($2.3 million) at his position. The $3.3 million in guarantees is third behind Brown ($4 million) and Vinatieri ($3.5 million).

"I still think it will be weird putting on a different helmet," Elam said. "But that's the way it is."

linkDENVER

It's the Broncos who are now placed in the rare position of needing a new kicker. They will turn first to Matt Prater, who was undrafted out of Central Florida in 2006. "Those are huge shoes to fill. I'll try not to compare myself to him," Prater said. "I'll have to keep that out of my mind. I don't think anybody can fill his shoes. But I'll be me and do the best I can." Prater wound up in the Miami Dolphins' training camp in 2007, before opening last season with the Falcons. But after missing three field goals in the first two games, Prater was released, re-signed with the Dolphins' practice squad and later signed with the Broncos, handling kickoffs in the final two games. "Matt's got a ton of potential," Elam said. "He's got a very strong leg and I think fans are going to love him."

Whoever becomes Elam's replacement, he'll have to kick against his predecessor in 2008, as the Broncos are scheduled to play the Falcons at the Georgia Dome. "That's going to be weird," Elam said. "I hope I don't run onto the field when the Broncos go to kick a field goal."

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[Mike Herman]

DENVER

This may mean everything, or nothing at all, but Matt Prater was raised by a psychiatrist. "My dad always told me to figure it out by myself," Prater said. "My dad worked a couple jobs at hospitals to pay his way through medical school. I think he was the first one from his family to graduate from college. He was about wanting you to figure your own way."

So even if Prater has made just 1-of-4 field goals two years out of college, he's ahead of many successful NFL kickers. Why does it take kickers longer to break in? Simple. With apologies to Ryan Leaf and failed quarterbacks everywhere, kicking is the NFL's ultimate head game. Hello, dad? It's Matt. "I'm lucky enough to get another opportunity," Prater said. "I'm going to do what Jason always says: Just worry about what you can control. Don't worry about things that are out of your hands. I've gained a little weight; I got a little bigger, a little stronger."

True to his father's example, Prater is a workoutaholic. Growing up in Estero, Fla., Prater would lift weights before school, go to football practice, go home and eat, then return to school to work out some more. He's still not quite 5-foot-10. He went undrafted out of Central Florida, where he was a teammate of Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall. "We were the only true freshmen that played that year, I think," Prater said.

There's a difference between thinking Prater can make a 43-yard field goal with the game in the balance and knowing he can. The Broncos won't have Prater kick under pressure in September until he first survives the pressure of competition in August. The field against him will be formidable, though the names aren't yet known. Olindo Mare and his surgically repaired hip are expected to visit the Broncos this week.

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[Mike Herman]

OLINDO MARE, freeagentguy

Word is that Mare is expected to visit both the Seahawks and the Broncos this week.

 

[Mike Herman]

KANSAS CITY

If coach Herm Edwards didn’t accuse the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and St. Louis Rams of cheating when they signed free agents of interest to the Chiefs, he certainly implied it Monday. During a news conference called to announce plans for his football camp in Kansas City, Edwards indicated the Chiefs were as aggressive as NFL rules allowed them to be in pursuing center Jeff Faine and kicker Josh Brown. NFL rules prohibit teams from contacting prospective free agents or their agents until the new league begins. This year, that was at 11 p.m. Feb. 28. “There were probably some deals done before (the start of the league year),” Edwards said when asked why the Chiefs didn’t get in the game with either player. “We didn’t cheat. We abided by the rules. That’s how you’re supposed to do it, and that’s what we did.” Faine signed with Tampa Bay in the hours after free-agency began. Brown immediately visited with the Rams and signed with them before the Chiefs could get him to visit. “You’d have to ask Tampa,” Edwards said when asked whether the Bucs were in early on Faine. “I don’t know what Tampa did.” Asked what happened with Brown and the Rams, he said, “I have no idea.”

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[Mike Herman]

OLINDO MARE, freeagentguy

The Seahawks' pursuit of a kicker to replace Josh Brown has led them to Olindo Mare, who is scheduled to visit the team Wednesday. Mare, who will be 35 in June, was a Pro Bowl kicker in 1999 for the Miami Dolphins. He was recently released by the New Orleans Saints. Mare also was scheduled to visit the Denver Broncos on Tuesday.

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[Mike Herman]

OLINDO MARE, freeagentguy

It's hard to replace a franchise fixture. Yet if it comes to that for Olindo Mare with the Broncos, he'll approach being the heir to Jason Elam like he does his kicks - by blocking out the distractions and focusing on the task at hand. Mare completed a two-day visit with the team Wednesday and came away impressed. The free-agent meeting wasn't enough to prevent him from getting on a plane to Seattle to visit the Seahawks, who have been in contact with him since it was apparent they'd lose Josh Brown, their own money kicker.

But it hardly means the Broncos are out of the running for his services, either. The New Orleans Saints, for whom he kicked in 2007, also are in the mix. "I wouldn't say that there wasn't enough to make me sign here because I had a great time. I loved it and all that. But obviously when you have options, it's good to explore them all . . . ," Mare said. "I'm lucky that the teams are interested are pretty much winning programs and on their way to the playoffs. That's a big part of what I want to be a part of right now." The Broncos attempted to get Mare to sign on the dotted line during his stay but couldn't sway him - at least immediately. "I know the goal for them was for me not to leave here," he said. "But this is my first visit. My goal is not to leave here, either, but I'm going to give Seattle a shot. They've been really positive and interested and we'll see how it goes."

Mare, 34, is coming off a dislocation of his right hip making a tackle against the Atlanta Falcons in December. But he's back to running sprints and kicking once again. He maintained he passed his Broncos physical. Mare indicated he wants to make a quick decision. He left his family behind with his parents at Disney World while taking his trips. "I don't want to drag this thing out any longer. I want to get this thing resolved. I want to get on a team. I want to get into a program, part of a workout thing, and get a place to kick," he said. "I've been kicking on my own down at a high school and lifting at a regular gym. That's the first time I've had to do that."

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[Truman]

There's no way in hell any team can go into the season with Matt Prater as their FG kicker. That'll cost you wins.

 

[Mike Herman]

SEATTLE

The Broncos and Seahawks took a gamble when they let kickers Jason Elam and Josh Brown escape in free agency, so it was only fitting that they would be competing for the same veteran. On Thursday, after offers were exchanged between the two teams and agent Drew Rosenhaus, Olindo Mare accepted a two-year, $3.5 million deal from the Seahawks. The 34-year-old veteran will be the replacement for Brown, who had been the Seahawks' franchise player a year ago. Mare visited the Broncos on Tuesday and flew to Seattle Wednesday. The Broncos were the first team to offer, but the Seahawks won the negotiation.

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[cacksman]

SEATTLE

The Broncos and Seahawks took a gamble when they let kickers Jason Elam and Josh Brown escape in free agency, so it was only fitting that they would be competing for the same veteran. On Thursday, after offers were exchanged between the two teams and agent Drew Rosenhaus, Olindo Mare accepted a two-year, $3.5 million deal from the Seahawks. The 34-year-old veteran will be the replacement for Brown, who had been the Seahawks' franchise player a year ago. Mare visited the Broncos on Tuesday and flew to Seattle Wednesday. The Broncos were the first team to offer, but the Seahawks won the negotiation.

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Championship.

 

[Mike Herman]

DENVER

With Jason Elam gone, Olindo Mare out of the picture and the prospect of adding another veteran kicker potentially on hold for awhile, Matt Prater is enjoying life as a solo act with the Broncos - even if he knows it won't last. "I'm fine with anything," Prater, who was told by special- teams coach Scott O'Brien to expect competition "no matter what," whether it's a veteran or a fresh-faced college graduate, said Friday. "Honestly, it doesn't matter to me who we bring in. My competition's myself. If I'm kicking my best - and there's always going to be someone better than you, no matter what you do - and they're better, it wasn't meant to be." The Broncos had discussions this week with the representative for free-agent kicker John Carney, but nothing appears imminent. Carney will turn 44 in April but is coming off a productive 2007 season in which he made 12-of-14 attempts with Jacksonville and Kansas City.

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[Doug B]

Mare was appallingly bad for the Saints. Like the Rick Ankiel of kickers.

 

[Thom Yorke]

Mare was appallingly bad for the Saints. Like the Rick Ankiel of kickers.

HORRIBLE. I really thought he might wind up out of the league after last year.

 

[Mike Herman]

DENVER

The first kicker selected in last year's draft was Justin Medlock, who was cut by Kansas City after missing a 30-yard field goal on the first drive of the season. Medlock is now in St. Louis, stuck behind the league's highest-paid kicker in Josh Brown. He has received permission to seek a trade. The Broncos are interested, but not at the expense of a draft pick. . . . The Broncos also are considering bringing in veteran free agents John Carney and Paul Edinger to compete with Matt Prater, who remains the top candidate to replace Jason Elam.

linkWISCONSIN

Next up is Taylor Mehlhaff's One on One Kicking Lesson. We take the information from the video review session and go to work. Taylor came to Scottsdale to to work with me and is willing to try whatever I suggest. I would like Taylor to kick and transfer his weight down field a little quicker and better. So, we start with the one step drill and move to a couple of field goals. I ask him to kick and walk down field to emphasize the weight transfer. During the opening 20 kicks Taylor hits a couple of really solid kicks and smiles! Kenny who's holding and Taylor both comment how solid and straight the balls are now flying. We continue kicking field goals at both ends from the left and right hash marks. Taylor continues to hit some awesome field goals. He has great trajectory on his kicks! We finish the field goal section and Taylor feels good that he's tried something new and it might be good to implement in his style of kicking. My job is to observe, evaluate and suggest. Taylor, like all kickers and punters must decide if what I suggest is good for his style of kicking. "The proof is in the pudding" as my dad use to say!

We finish the day with kickoffs. Taylor at the NFL combine had some great hang times but was under hitting the ball a lot and did the same on Friday. We both agreed that he must stay up taller to get through his kickoffs better. We start with some 2 and 4 step kickoffs to get my teaching point across. He hits a couple of solid balls. We move back to his normal approach and he bombs a 4.48 hang time to the goal line. In all my years coaching kickers, I've never had anyone hit that type of hang time off a one inch tee. We finish with a couple more big kickoffs and wrap it up. Taylor's leg is getting tired. He's kicked a lot in two days.

 

[Mike Herman]

Mare was appallingly bad for the Saints. Like the Rick Ankiel of kickers.

HORRIBLE. I really thought he might wind up out of the league after last year.

Mare is coming off back-to-back not-so-great years, and is also coming off hip surgery. Denver and Seattle's eagerness to sign him is a tad puzzling.

 

[Mike Herman]

ST. LOUIS

The agent for Rams place-kicker Justin Medlock has asked the team to release Medlock now that Josh Brown has been signed in free agency. The Rams instead have said that Medlock is free to seek a trade with another team.

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Jason Elam, who Broncos owner Pat Bowlen on Monday called a "Ring of Fame player for the Denver Broncos," signed a four-year, $9 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons last week, ending his 15-year tenure with the team. "Jason's a great player . . . ," Bowlen said. "That's just sort of the way things go in football. I can't complain about what Jason did if he wants to play one more year in Atlanta."

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[Mike Herman]

SEATTLE

I caught up with a harried Tim Ruskell going from one meeting to another at the hotel here, and he gave me some time to discuss many things Seahawk. Here are some of the things we covered:

He feels good about free agency, primarily because it allowed them to not feel like they are hostage to filling a position in the draft. He said he thought they exceeded expectations in free agency, Josh Brown leaving the only blemish. Ruskell declined to comment about whether he thought St. Louis tampered with Brown or whether he contacted the league about it.

Speaking of kicking, Ruskell said he thinks recently signed Olindo Mare can do the job, but they are not ruling out taking a kicker in the draft. It depends on how that plays out, Ruskell said, meaning if one of the top kickers is still available in the sixth or seventh round, they are likely to take him. Otherwise, they will go with Mare. Ruskell said though Mare still has one of the strongest legs in the NFL, accuracy has been his problem, and Mare has said it is because the long snapper/holder/kicker combination has not been good in recent years. It is up to Mare to prove he still can be accurate.

Speaking of long snapping, Ruskell said he thinks Tim Lindsey can do the job, but it is a position they will continue to monitor and improve. "You know, I always underestimated that," Ruskell said. "You get a snapper, you get a kicker, you get a holder, we should be fine. It is not quite as easy as that. Our example is a great one. Once we solidified that battery, we didn’t miss a kick at the end of the year. So we will pay attention to that. And I think that will help Olindo as well." Ruskell also said Jeff Robinson could be brought in in an emergency.

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[Mike Herman]

NFL

NFL owners approved the proposal making field goals and extra points subject to replay review, something that brings up bad memories for the Ravens. On Nov. 18, the Cleveland Browns tied the Ravens at the end of regulation on a controversial field goal by Phil Dawson, whose kick hit the left upright, bounced over the crossbar, struck the support post and bounced back over the crossbar toward the field. The Browns ended up winning the game in overtime. An official below the upright at M&T Bank Stadium initially signaled that the kick was no good. After all the officials conferred and the referee consulted with the replay official to see if the play was reviewable, they reversed the call, said the kick was good and the game was tied at 30. Some league officials have come to call it "The Dawson Rule." "I like to call it 'The Ravens Rule,'" Ravens president **** Cass said. The Ravens approved the new rule, which allows officials to use replay to determine whether extra points and field goals pass over the crossbar and through the uprights. "It's a good rule," Cass said. "But we're going to try to forget last season -- and that play."

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[Mike Herman]

WISCONSIN

Interview with Taylor Mehlhaff...

What do you think of the comparison by some scouting services to John Kasay?

I actually don’t know a whole lot about Kasay other than he is left-footed so we are similar in that respect. I do know he’s had a great career.

What makes me stand out from most kickers is?

I think my athleticism and being mentally tough.

Does calling a timeout by an opposing defense bother kickers or is it just a waste of time?

I think it’s just a waste of time. It actually gives kickers more time to read the wind, line up the hash marks, look at what you’re doing and think about a good kick going through your mind.

The part of my game that I take the most pride in is?

My kickoffs

Any pre-game traditions of note?

Not really. I just get focused by listening to my I pod.

linkBALTIMORE & NFL

Gene Upshaw said yesterday that he intends to remain in charge of the NFL Players Association as its executive director through the upcoming labor negotiations with the league's franchise owners. But Upshaw also is making preparations for retirement, saying that he told groups of players on two occasions in recent weeks to be ready to choose his successor after this set of labor negotiations. Hours after Upshaw made his remarks, Baltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover reportedly wrote in a letter that he isn't necessarily seeking to have Upshaw replaced as the union's leader by next spring, as he proposed in an e-mail sent to fellow players in recent days.

The steps for identifying a successor that Upshaw outlined to the players -- first in an address to the 10-player executive committee during the union's annual meeting last month in Hawaii, then to the players who serve as their teams' union representatives during a conference call last week -- were reproduced by Stover in his proposal to replace Upshaw with a new executive director by next March, Upshaw said. Stover participated in last week's conference call, and days later sent his e-mail to members of the executive committee and player representatives detailing his plan to replace Upshaw. "I was the one who put together the conference call," Upshaw said in a telephone interview yesterday. "It was me telling those guys I was not going anywhere until this [labor negotiation] is done. I told the committee in Hawaii what the process should be. That's my process. I said on the conference call, 'I want to repeat to everyone what I told the executive committee in Hawaii about what the process should be when the time comes.' "

Stover was not available to comment yesterday. Last night, after Upshaw's comments were published on The Washington Post's Web site, ESPN published a letter that it said it received yesterday from Stover. In it, Stover wrote that he wanted to "clarify" his original e-mail. He praised Upshaw's past leadership and wrote that "it is not, and has never been, my intention to 'oust' Gene Upshaw." He wrote that he wanted to give the players' executive committee the ability "to offer various options" to the player representatives. However, Stover wrote in his original e-mail that he and other players believed "it is time for a change" and a new executive director should be hired next March. Upshaw said earlier yesterday that he would not be forced out. "I'm not going anywhere until this [labor] deal is done," Upshaw said. Upshaw, who has been the union's executive director since June 1983, will turn 63 in August. His contract runs through 2010, when he would be 65.

Upshaw spoke of retiring after the last labor deal between the union and owners was completed in March 2006, but didn't. Approaching this set of labor negotiations, Upshaw said he has taken the additional step of instructing the players on how they should go about replacing him. He said yesterday he told the players that they should conduct "an open and transparent process" in which the union president and four other members of the executive committee interview eight or nine candidates, then pick three finalists to be presented to the full executive committee for its choice. Stover detailed a virtually identical process in his original e-mail, but had it concluding far earlier than Upshaw envisions. "Everything you see from Stover is what I told them," Upshaw said. "What he's done is decided it should happen by next March." Upshaw said the idea of replacing him immediately was not raised by any players at the meetings in Hawaii or during last week's conference call. He conducted the conference call eight days ago, Upshaw said, to address his decision not to hire a successor-in-waiting as a current second-in-charge of the union. "Not one guy on the conference call said, 'We should do this by next March,' " Upshaw said.

The 2006 labor deal with the owners gives the players 60 percent of total league revenue under the salary cap system. In recent months, several owners have complained that the deal is overly favorable to the players. The labor agreement allows either side to reopen negotiations by informing the other side by Nov. 8 of this year or next year. Upshaw has said he expects the owners to exercise the re-opener clause in November, which would make the 2009 season the final one with a salary cap and the 2010 season the final one in the labor deal, and give serious consideration to a lockout of the players in 2011. Unrest over leadership of the union comes at the wrong time, Upshaw said yesterday. "I know how important it is to enter into this round of negotiations being united," Upshaw said.

 

[Mike Herman]

DETROIT

Signed Paul Ernster.

DALLAS DAY WORKOUT

Former Southlake Carroll and Oklahoma kicker Garrett Hartley made 14 of 17 field goals, including a 60-yarder, during the workout.

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[Mike Herman]

DENVER

The Broncos will work out free-agent kicker Mike Vanderjagt and former University of Colorado punter Mitch Berger today at the team's headquarters. Vanderjagt, 38, of Oakville, Ontario, would compete with Matt Prater for the Broncos' place-kicking job vacated when Jason Elam signed as a free agent with Atlanta. Even though Vanderjagt remains the most accurate field-goal kicker in NFL history (86.5 percent, making 230-of-266), he has been unable to land a job since November 2006. It's possible his enormous success has been offset in recent years by character concerns that have stuck with him since Peyton Manning's Pro Bowl diatribe after the 2002 season. After the Indianapolis Colts lost a playoff game that year, Vanderjagt said Manning, the team's quarterback, needs to show more emotion and that coach Tony Dungy was too mild-mannered. Manning responded a few days later during a Pro Bowl interview by saying, "We're talking about our idiot kicker who got liquored up and ran his mouth off." Vanderjagt apologized profusely for his comments, and he and Manning later made peace. Vanderjagt stayed with the Colts until he badly missed a field goal against Pittsburgh in a second-round playoff game that cost the Colts the chance to host the Broncos in the 2005 AFC championship game. Vanderjagt caught on with Dallas in 2006 but was released after 10 games and has been out of a job since.

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[Mike Herman]

DENVER

The Broncos are taking a look at the most accurate kicker in the history of the league today. Mike Vanderjagt has been out of the league since Nov. 2006, but he's back for one last shot. Here's the one thing I can tell you about his stay in Dallas: Bill Parcells and current Seahawks specials teams coach Bruce DeHaven really enjoyed being around the guy. Some of the Manning stuff from a few years ago has been overblown, but he'll never be able to escape the "idiot kicker" reputation unless he has some success in the league again. He still has the physical ability to be an effective kicker, but I would question his mental side.

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[Mike Herman]

DENVER

With very little experience at their kicker and punter positions, the Broncos held tryouts for two of each Monday at their Dove Valley practice field. The kickers were veteran Mike Vanderjagt, the most accurate field-goal kicker in NFL history, and Kenny Byrd, formerly of New Mexico who was 4-for-4 in field goals during the preseason for Detroit last year. The punters were Mitch Berger, a two-time Pro Bowler who went to the University of Colorado, and Danny Baugher, who was recently waived by the Cincinnati Bengals. The Broncos were just looking. They will wait until after the draft before they consider making offers to compete with kicker Matt Prater and punter Sam Paulescu. The top kicking prizes in the draft are Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks, Toledo punter Brett Kern and Wisconsin place kicker Taylor Melhoff.

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[Mike Herman]

ATLANTA

Halfway around the world, kicking for a team no one ever saw, Jason Elam was stewing about a major college rule change. The field goal tee had been banned. But by coincidence, not only was the NFL Pro Bowl coming to town, but the NFC team was going to work out at fields at the University of Hawaii, where Elam was a power-legged sophomore. Morten Andersen would be there. "I kind of made my way through the crowd and asked him, 'Hey, I'm the kicker here at UH. You got any tips for me kicking off the ground?'?" Elam said. "And he said, 'Well, you got your stuff with you? I'll stay out here and kick with you for a little while.' I mean, who does that? He stayed out for 45 minutes, missed the bus. He said, 'Forget about it. I'll take a cab.'?"

Thus began in 1990 Jason Elam's long trip home. Signed by Hawaii out of Brookwood High School — the team's offensive coordinator was a former Georgia Southern assistant named Paul Johnson who recruited him — Elam has finally come full circle. An eventual All-American at Hawaii, then one of the finest kickers in the NFL with Denver, he has come back to town with the Falcons, the team of his youth, 20 years after graduating from high school. And who would he talk to Monday night about his first day at Falcons minicamp? Andersen, the Great Dane whose job he has taken, another torch passed between them. "It's been awesome," he said. "I grew up a Falcons fan. I remember Tim Mazzetti and Mick Luckhurst, Steve Bartkowski and William Andrews, that whole group. This is a dream come true for me."

Since Jay Feely left town as a free agent in 2004, the Falcons have tried three kickers in the past three years, settling on Andersen the past two seasons as an option of last resort. Viewing last winter's crop of free agents — Rob Bironas, Josh Brown, Olindo Mare, among them — the Falcons considered Elam's consistency the past two seasons (54-for-60, .900) and determined his age (38) not so important. "We looked at the list and we felt Jason is a guy who can kick the ball in pressure situations," coach Mike Smith said. "He's been very, very successful for a long time doing that. We felt as a staff he was the best option." He agreed to kick for the staff — a tryout for a 15-year man — on March 20, without having touched a ball since the Broncos' season ended. His contract was ready the next day.

His leg doesn't act like it's 38. Despite the erratic weather conditions in Denver, Elam over the past five years kicked eight field goals of 50 yards or more in 14 tries (.571). In the same period, Atlanta has gone 2-for-11 (.182). If anything, Elam has grown better as he approaches middle age. Some five years ago, he read Jack Nicklaus' estimation that during an average round 75 percent of his shots were mis-hit. The trick, he said, was controlling the 75 percent to go straight. "The average kick for me, for any NFL kicker, is about 35 yards. So why does a 35-yard field goal have to go 50 yards?" Elam said. "I kind of switched some things around. I just wanted to be more controlled, and all of a sudden my percentage went way up. "I think I'm coming off two of my better years. If I need the extra yardage, I just go back to my old style and bring a little more momentum to the ball. But usually, you don't need that."

Elam was one of the line of standout kickers to come out of the metro Atlanta area. Avondale's Kim Braswell, who still holds the national high school record for consecutive PATs (134), became an All-SEC kicker at Georgia (1970 season), as did Marietta's Rex Robinson three times (1978-80). Kevin Butler (Redan High; UGA, 1981-84) became the first kicker admitted to the College Football Hall of Fame. Redan also produced Chris Gardocki, who handled punting and placements for Clemson (1988-90) before becoming a two-time All-Pro punter. Now, Elam is back among them, the No. 5 all-time leading scorer among NFL kickers. His mother still lives in Snellville. His brother, who is in the military, was just re-stationed at Fort Gillem. "It's a huge homecoming," Elam said. "All of a sudden, this stuff happens to me."

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[Mike Herman]

PHILADELPHIA

The Eagles on Wednesday signed punter/kicker Richmond McGee to a three-year contract. McGee, 24, not only served as the punter for the University of Texas but also handled kickoffs. In his career with the Longhorns, he averaged 39.6 yards per punt, and 36 percent of his kickoffs went for touchbacks. As a junior in 2004, McGee hit a 44-yard field goal – the only attempt of his career. McGee, who has been out of football the last two seasons, will compete with Sav Rocca for the punting job. Rocca had an inconsistent first season with the Eagles, finishing 19th in the league with a 42.0-yards gross and 29th with a 34.5-yard net. Because he is able to handle kickoffs, McGee could also help preserve 33-year-old kicker David Akers.

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[Mike Herman]

CHICAGO

Urlacher and Briggs aren't the only ones missing. Kicker Robbie Gould, entering the final season of the bargain four-year contract he signed in 2005, hasn't checked in. Skipping the workouts is the only leverage Gould has in pursuing a new contract after making the Pro Bowl in 2006 and being an alternate last season. The Bears have been in discussion with his agent, Brian Mackler, who declined to comment on the situation. Gould didn't receive a signing bonus when he replaced Doug Brien in Week 5 of the 2005 season. The Bears can hang the franchise tag over his head, but there's only one of those for 2009, and if defensive tackle Tommie Harris can't work out an extension, he might wind up wearing that collar. The Bears also could apply the less-used transition tag.

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[Mike Herman]

TOP 25 ALL-TIME SCORERS

1 2544 Morten Andersen

2 2434 Gary Anderson

3 2002 George Blanda

4 1822 Matt Stover

5 1812 John Carney

6 1786 Jason Elam

7 1736 Norm Johnson

8 1711 Nick Lowery

9 1699 Jan Stenerud

10 1659 Jason Hanson

11 1594 Eddie Murray

12 1584 Al Del Greco

13 1504 John Kasay

14 1476 Steve Christie

15 1470 Pat Leahy

16 1439 Jim Turner

17 1422 Matt Bahr

18 1416 Jeff Wilkins

19 1387 Adam Vinatieri

20 1382 Mark Moseley

21 1380 Jim Bakken

22 1365 Fred Cox

23 1349 Lou Groza

24 1246 Jim Breech

25 1243 Ryan Longwell

 

[Mike Herman]

What about Gary Cismesia from Florida State. I saw that kid kick a 60 yard field goal during the game against florida, and it was crazy. I checked his stats and he has hit 82% of his field goals which is pretty good. Is there something about this kid i dont know about?

Here's a recent article on Cismesia...

The scouts and coaches from the NFL teams who made their way to Tallahassee last month for Florida State's pro day were transfixed on Seminoles linebacker Geno Hayes. Hayes ran, and the coaches timed. Hayes jumped, and the scouts measured. Gary Cismesia worked out for the coaches, too, doing what kickers do - he kicked off and kicked field goals and hoped he was being watched as intently as Hayes. "It's a little nerve-wracking," Cismesia said, "especially in my situation."

A total of 34 linebackers were selected in last year's NFL Draft. Kickers? Three. In fact, only 20 kickers have been drafted since the 2000 draft. But the draft is a long way from the measuring stick for kickers. Adam Vinatieri wasn't drafted, and he turned out to be, well, Adam Vinatieri. "It's not uncommon for a lot of good kickers and punters to take two or three years to find a spot on an NFL roster," said Brett Tessler, Cismesia's agent. Not every kicker can be Sebastian Janikowski and go in the first round, which the former Seminole did in 2000 when the Oakland Raiders made him the 17th overall pick. Some, like Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant, take the back roads to the NFL. Before hooking on with the New York Giants in 2002, the undrafted Bryant spent a season with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League and a season with the Frankfurt Galaxy in the now defunct NFL Europe.

In fact, the scouts who watched Cismesia work out last month were interested mainly in his kickoffs. They know what he can do with field goals. He made 27 of 34 last season, including a 60-yarder. But Cismesia didn't kick off regularly since his senior season at Lakewood Ranch, and while he did kick off six times last season, that part of his game remains a mystery. "The biggest question with Gary is his kickoffs," Tessler said. "Not that teams don't think he can, it's that they haven't seen that he can." The Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams paid close attention to Cismesia at FSU's pro day.

Cismesia said he was kicking the ball five to seven yards deep in the end zone and with an average hang-time of 3.8 seconds. The scouts said he would have to increase that hang-time to 4 seconds. "I'm still working on it," Cismesia said. "It's getting better by the day."

He's also working on his field goals, kicking every day after class with long-snapper Garrison Sanborn and holder Brent Moody, the duo that helped Cismesia make the most field goals in Division I-A last season. Drawing interest from three teams at FSU's pro day doesn't bother Cismesia, since most NFL teams use game film to scout kickers. The Green Bay Packers called Tessler earlier this month and asked for film on Cismesia. It's also possible a team could draft or sign Cismesia without ever talking to him or Tessler. Also, teams don't feel the need to time, weigh and measure kickers like they do with other players. Teams might want to be careful with a defensive end who dominated against non-NFL caliber opponents, but there's little difference between making field goals at Florida State, Murray State or Case Western Reserve. "It doesn't matter," Tessler said. "With kickers it's them against the goalpost."

Cismesia is not mentioned among the top kickers in the draft. He thinks that is due to the fact he rarely kicked off in college.

"I don't really have a gut feeling on this," Cismesia said. "I think there is a chance I can get drafted. The people who do the rankings don't know I can kick off. I think about it every day. It's exciting, because next year I can be playing in the NFL. It's nerve-wracking because I may have played my last football game."

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[Mike Herman]

GEORGIA

Brandon Coutu is the top rated player at his position, according to the best-known NFL Draft analyst. Yet there's still no guarantee that Georgia product will even get drafted this weekend. Such is life in the uncertain world of kickers. "It's kind of one of those things where you never know what's going to happen at my position," Coutu said. "The quarterback, you know kind of when you're going to go and where you're going to go, but my position it's kind of if they can take care of all of the other needs then they might be able to do something with that." ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. rates Coutu as his No. 1 kicker, but doesn't expect the Lawrenceville product to get drafted before the fifth round. Three kickers were picked in 2007--all in the fifth round or later. Some other analysts don't even have Coutu among their top five kickers and view him as an undrafted free agent. Coutu has worked out for Seattle, Baltimore, Atlanta, Kansas City and New Orleans. Seattle, which lost Josh Brown to free agency and signed Olindo Mare, flew Coutu in for a visit last week.

Coutu is Georgia's most accurate career field goal kicker for Georgia, making 53 of 66 field goals (80.3 percent) including six from 50 yards or beyond. "I think Coutu would make a great pro because he's very, very mentally tough," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "His fundamentals are very sound. He wasn't erratic really at all. ...He missed a few, but I never saw him yank a kick in his career." Coutu's leg strength has come into question because of his kickoffs. Kickoffs not returned went from 20 in 2005 to 10 in 2006 and 2007 combined (kickoffs moved back five yards last season). The average return on his kicks went from 17.1 yards in 2004 to 18.0 in 2005 to 18.4 in 2006 to 19.7 last season. Coutu sustained a hamstring injury in 2006 that he reinjured late last season. At Georgia's pro day, the 5-foot-11, 188-pound Coutu booted kickoffs short of the goal line. "I've never been told to kick it down the middle deep and high at Georgia," Coutu said of the Bulldogs' preference for directional kicking. "We have a scheme. Teams come to see me personally and see I have really good hang time and have the ability to put the ball to the goal line or inside the five."

Leading up to the draft, Coutu has worked with former Georgia and NFL kicker Kevin Butler on his technique, going from a three-step field goal kicker to two. "Technique is just so important in this game," Coutu said. "There's only 32 guys with NFL spots. When you see the ones that have played for 15 or 20 years, they're very technically sound."

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[Mike Herman]

NEW ORLEANS

Taylor Mehlhaff is the first kicker drafted this year, going to the Saints in the 6th round. That means that Martin Gramatica will likely lose out in preseason to a drafted rookie for the third straight year.

 

[Mike Herman]

SEATTLE

The Seahawks drafted Brandon Coutu in the seventh round. Don't be surprised if he beats out Olindo Mare for the job, performs well, and then heads off into free agency in several years.

 

[Mike Herman]

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS

Denver signs Garrett Hartley (Oklahoma) to compete with Matt Prater

Cleveland signs Jason Reda (Illinois)

Minnesota signs Steven Hauschka (North Carolina State)

Miami signs Dan Carpenter (University of Montana)

Baltimore signs Piotr Czech (Wagner College)

Chicago signs Shane Longest (St. Xavier)

Kansas City signs Connor Barth (North Carolina) to compete with Billy Cundiff and Nick Novak

 

[Mike Herman]

DENVER

If it has been said once this offseason, it has been said 1,870 times (once for every point scored, including postseason, by Jason Elam): The Broncos need a kicker. For some reason, people just aren't getting it. Matt Prater is the Broncos' kicker. No matter who they bring in, the Broncos have every intention of giving Elam's job to Prater. The team worked out Mike Vanderjagt, the NFL's all-time accurate kicker, earlier this month. Didn't sign him. Why? Because Prater's their guy. That doesn't mean the Broncos are going to let Prater have the job uncontested. Although they didn't select a kicker among their nine draft picks, the Broncos will sign Oklahoma's Garrett Hartley today as an undrafted college free agent. Hartley had 60 kickoffs into the end zone and made 32-of-35 field goals in his junior and senior years combined. "We have a couple guys that will come with us and compete," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. The other kicker the Broncos will sign as an undrafted free agent is a punter, Toledo's Brett Kern. The Broncos' punter will be one of three candidates: Sam Paulescu, Danny Baugher and Kern. There is no plan for the Broncos to add another veteran free agent.

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[Mike Herman]

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS

Denver signs Garrett Hartley (Oklahoma) to compete with Matt Prater

Cleveland signs Jason Reda (Illinois)

Minnesota signs Steven Hauschka (North Carolina State)

Miami signs Dan Carpenter (University of Montana)

Baltimore signs Piotr Czech (Wagner College)

Chicago signs Shane Longest (St. Xavier)

Kansas City signs Connor Barth (North Carolina) to compete with Billy Cundiff and Nick Novak

It's obviously still early, but Robbie Gould skipped voluntary workouts and there is speculation that a contract squabble / holdout could be brewing in Chicago. That gives Shane Longest's value a very slight uptick at the moment.

 

[BusMan]

Did Robbie Gould's brother Chris (out of UVA) get picked up anywhere?

 

[Mike Herman]

Did Robbie Gould's brother Chris (out of UVA) get picked up anywhere?

He has a tryout scheduled with Tampa Bay later this week.

 

[AB in DC]

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS

Denver signs Garrett Hartley (Oklahoma) to compete with Matt Prater

Cleveland signs Jason Reda (Illinois)

Minnesota signs Steven Hauschka (North Carolina State)

Miami signs Dan Carpenter (University of Montana)

Baltimore signs Piotr Czech (Wagner College)

Chicago signs Shane Longest (St. Xavier)

Kansas City signs Connor Barth (North Carolina) to compete with Billy Cundiff and Nick Novak

Do you see any of the UDFAs as having a decent shot at FG duty for this season?

 

[Mike Herman]

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS

Denver signs Garrett Hartley (Oklahoma) to compete with Matt Prater

Cleveland signs Jason Reda (Illinois)

Minnesota signs Steven Hauschka (North Carolina State)

Miami signs Dan Carpenter (University of Montana)

Baltimore signs Piotr Czech (Wagner College)

Chicago signs Shane Longest (St. Xavier)

Kansas City signs Connor Barth (North Carolina) to compete with Billy Cundiff and Nick Novak

Do you see any of the UDFAs as having a decent shot at FG duty for this season?

Right now, Hartley and Barth are the only two competing for a job. Hartley has the better shot, although I don't see either one winning in the end.

 

[Mike Herman]

BALTIMORE

Like a lot of football kickers, Benjamin Dato’s journey to the sport began on a soccer field. Entering his sophomore year of high school in tiny Wyomissing, Pa., he caught the eye of a football coach with his ability to kick the soccer ball almost the length of the field. “We’ve had a lot of all-county kickers,” Wyomissing Coach Ben Wolfrum said by telephone this week. “And Ben’s leg stood out above all the others.” Dato eventually gave up soccer to concentrate on place-kicking and punting — a decision that has been paying off ever since. As a punter for Fordham University in the Bronx, he went on to become one of the best at the position in the N.C.A.A.’s Football Championship Subdivision. And last Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens signed him to a free-agent contract, giving him an opportunity to become the 64th professional football player from Fordham. Baltimore is seeking a player who can handle punting and kickoffs. Dato’s private kicking coach, Fred Pinciaro, who trains several N.F.L. punters and place-kickers, has also worked with the Ravens’ current punter, Sam Koch. Pinciaro said Koch has more experience but cannot match Dato’s leg strength.

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[Mike Herman]

NEW ORLEANS

Taylor Mehlhaff talks his draft-day experience, his opportunity with the New Orleans Saints and kicking in a dome.

We had a little get-together over at my mom's house, a little barbeque, and I really just hung out and took it easy and just kind of enjoyed the day through that third and fourth round. As the fifth round came around - a lot of people were projecting me as a sixth round or possibly fifth-round type of guy - so when the fifth round came around I sat around the TV and started mapping out which teams were coming up and teams I thought had an opportunity to grab me. That's when I started getting really nervous, when I sat down there and started really paying attention to it.

I really didn't have to wait real long after that, it was about earlier in the sixth round. That was the most amazing feeling ever, getting that call and being able to celebrate with all my family and friends. That was amazing.

One other kicker went [later] to the Seattle Seahawks and there was a punter taken a little before me. It's so hard to get drafted as a kicker. It's an amazing honor to get drafted and be the first guy. It's a great feeling. Normally you see two or three every year and there were only three specialists total this year, so it's quite an honor.

I think it's a great opportunity. No matter where you go you're going to have to compete no matter what. [Martin] Gramatica I know is a very solid field-goal kicker. I don't know much about him kickoff-wise.

I'm very confident in my kickoffs and my kicking in general. I'm going to go down there will all the intentions in the world to compete with him and win the job. We'll see what happens. I know he came in at the end of the year for them and went like 5-of-5 or 6-or-6. He ended the year well, he kicked well for them. There's going to be good competition for sure.

Other than our game at the University of Minnesota (he hasn't kicked inside), and that was actually my worst game of the year (laughs). But anytime you have an opportunity to kick an indoor stadium and take the wind element out of the stadium, it's a plus for sure.

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[Zoomanji]

BALTIMORE

Like a lot of football kickers, Benjamin Dato’s journey to the sport began on a soccer field. Entering his sophomore year of high school in tiny Wyomissing, Pa., he caught the eye of a football coach with his ability to kick the soccer ball almost the length of the field. “We’ve had a lot of all-county kickers,” Wyomissing Coach Ben Wolfrum said by telephone this week. “And Ben’s leg stood out above all the others.” Dato eventually gave up soccer to concentrate on place-kicking and punting — a decision that has been paying off ever since. As a punter for Fordham University in the Bronx, he went on to become one of the best at the position in the N.C.A.A.’s Football Championship Subdivision. And last Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens signed him to a free-agent contract, giving him an opportunity to become the 64th professional football player from Fordham. Baltimore is seeking a player who can handle punting and kickoffs. Dato’s private kicking coach, Fred Pinciaro, who trains several N.F.L. punters and place-kickers, has also worked with the Ravens’ current punter, Sam Koch. Pinciaro said Koch has more experience but cannot match Dato’s leg strength.

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Wyomissing isn't tiny. Its part of Reading, PA

Do any reporters do research any more?

 

[Mike Herman]

ARIZONA

Then came a question-and-answer session, which generated a little bit of news from Whisenhunt -- most notably that kicker Neil Rackers underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia, an injury that may have played a role in his 2007 struggles. Rackers has been participating in the offseason workouts, however, and is expected to be OK heading into minicamp.

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On the far artificial turf field, where the bubble used to be, there's a quiet but intense battle going on for the team's place-kicker. Olindo Mare, a 13-year veteran who came over from New Orleans in a free agent signing this winter, is trying to win the job over rookie Brandon Coutu, the team's seventh-round draft choice out of Georgia. The two practiced kicks from various lengths and angles. It appeared the Mare was almost automatic from close range, 30 yards and in, while Coutu has a more powerful leg, hitting high up the goal post from 49 yards. He said he missed two kicks in 20-something attempts.

"I just want the opportunity. I'm excited to be here. I don't think they drafted me for no reason," Coutu said. "I just want to learn from the vet who's here and whatever it's at, I just want the opportunity." "It's nice to have some competition, because he goes out there and knows every kick counts," Coutu added. "Then I go out there and know every kick counts. Even though it's a friendly competition, it's still a competition that going to make us both better." At one point, there were four onlookers who will have an impact on the final decision: General manager Tim Ruskell, vice-president of player personnel Ruston Webster, special teams coach Bruce DeHaven and special teams assistant John Jamison. "I figure they're all going to be at the games anyway," Coutu added. "I don't let that bother me too much. I think I can handle that."

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I spent a good part of the practice watching a competition between rookie kicker Brandon Coutu and veteran Olindo Mare. It wasn't apparent that it was a competition until we realized that general manager Tim Ruskell and VP of player personnel Ruston Webster were monitoring it, as well as special teams coach Bruce DeHaven and assistant John Jamison. Mare looks very smooth. He must have kicked about 20 straight without missing one kick. He didn't look pressed at all, just stepped up and booted them through, right down the middle. He went out to 38 yards. Coutu then stepped in and looked a little more amped, like he was trying to impress. He made about 15 in a row, then stepped out to 43 yards and missed one kick, then out to 48 yards and missed another. His last 48-yarder hit the net about three-quarters of the way up, so he looks like he has plenty of leg for 60.

We spoke with Coutu afterward, and he said he has switched his kicking style, back in January. He has gone from three steps to either one and a half or two, and said he has as much if not more power because the stride is more compact. He said having somebody like Mare in camp is good for him, and will be good for him, because it adds an extra element of concentration, whereas just having the job doesn't require anything. He said he is just happy for the opportunity. Going on today -- and granted, it is only one day -- I would say the competition is between Coutu's long-term potential and Mare's experience. Mare looked really smooth.

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Tired of all the news involving arrests, shootings, and suspensions? The here's one for you.

Kicker Nate Kaeding missed the second straight day of minicamp to be with his wife, Samantha, who is expecting the couple's first child.

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