Who wins the kicking job and how do they simulate game pressure ?

[IgotBILLStopay]

19 minutes ago, billspro said:

Bass is likely too good to stash on the practice squad unfortunately. It’s better to get rid of a kicker a year too soon rather than a year too late. It’s a good year to roll with a rookie kicker, the environments won’t be very hostile this year. If it’s even close they keep Bass especially with the cap saving that we will need next year. 

 

I dont disagree with what you say and am actually quite optimistic on his long term outlook. I did given him a 20% chance to win the job.  Here are the things going against Bass winning the job on opening day

 

a. Rookie kickers do take time to find consistency in the NFL - and it will be harder without a full TC and preseason games

b. Hauschka is pretty decent himself - so Bass will have to demonstrate superiority over a decent player

c. Bass is yet show prowess in inclement weather - he has only kicked in good conditions  till now

d. His FG accuracy declined from 90+ percent in 2018 to 71.4% in 2019, which is the one red flag I have on him

 

 

[Mickey]

Simulating game pressure is easy. I have it on good authority that they have built a temporary closet at the 50 yard line where the holder is set up. When Bass gets close to the ball, just before he kicks it, Fred Smerlas bursts out of the closet and yells "Booga-Booga-Booga!!!!!"

[JESSEFEFFER]

2 hours ago, BuffaninSarasota said:

 

and you know this how ?

Lingering effects of the Henry Anderson cheap shot in 2018?  That keeps getting brought up as an inflection point in Hauschka's performance.

[416BillsFan]

My gut says Hauschka gets the go with Bass one of the 4 protected on the PS. Though that could backfire, with kickers being notoriously in their own heads: SH could miss a FG then overthink the rest of his kicks, costing us a game.

[Locomark]

6 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

One makes the team, and one will end up on the PS.  Bass may get it.  One piece of good news for Bass’s chance is there won’t be fans in the stands so that makes it easier for kickers to get it through the uprights.  The coaches will figure it out in camp.

I really think they need to keep one and keep the other in the PS no matter who wins the role. We saw last year the Hauschka had distance issues but we also know that a rookie kicker could be erratic or he could make a huge difference by booting 57 yarders.

3 minutes ago, 416BillsFan said:

My gut says Hauschka gets the go with Bass one of the 4 protected on the PS. Though that could backfire, with kickers being notoriously in their own heads: SH could miss a FG then overthink the rest of his kicks, costing us a game.

This seems to me to be the most likely because this season is at such a turning point in the franchise. Bass stays as insurance and is protected every week. 

[Locomark]

3 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Indeed. Another guy they really liked and kept Hausch over initially last summer.

This year is different due to Covid. I think they know they need to have 2 kickers as a just in case. This way they groom the kicker of the future, create competition, and have a backup in case Hauschka has a positive covid issue or injury. 

[RyanC883]

I think House money with his ability to be automatic within 50.  I think Bass will make the 53 and likely starts next year, perhaps even handled kickoffs or 50 plus kicks.  Too risky to put a kicker like him on the PS.   If another team has an injured kicker that is threatening to derail its season (happened to Pit back in like 2015) I could see House traded for something.  Bass on the PS would be grabbed by another team, IMO.  

2 hours ago, BuffaloRebound said:

I actually think the potential of no fans or a lot less can greatly help a rookie kicker especially one that didn’t play for a college that plays in front of 70k+ fans.  Not saying Bass beats out Hauschka but the uniqueness of this season probably helps Bass.  

 an interesting take that this season hurts his odds without a full preseason. I can see this.  

[Locomark]

4 hours ago, T master said:

Chris Brown was talking about this the other day on One Bills Live & said just due to the fact that Haushka has the experience at being clutch the couple that with the fact that there will be no preseason games for Bass to prove he can be clutch under pressure that that alone could lose him the job .

 

But they did say because he has such a strong leg and can put it out of the end zone on kick offs most all the time and Haushka has a harder time getting it out of the end zone that could be a factor in who wins the job .

 

I guess it will come down to what McD see's from them in camp and all you all say preseason games are useless ? . 

Reality is if they want longer kickoffs but trust Hauschka to do the FGs, then they just hand the punter role to Vedvik and let him kickoff. 

[GunnerBill]

12 minutes ago, Locomark said:

Reality is if they want longer kickoffs but trust Hauschka to do the FGs, then they just hand the punter role to Vedvik and let him kickoff. 

 

That is another option, though more of a longshot.

[Jauronimo]

42 minutes ago, Locomark said:

I really think they need to keep one and keep the other in the PS no matter who wins the role. We saw last year the Hauschka had distance issues but we also know that a rookie kicker could be erratic or he could make a huge difference by booting 57 yarders.

This seems to me to be the most likely because this season is at such a turning point in the franchise. Bass stays as insurance and is protected every week. 

You can't put veterans on the practice squad.  The only Kicker who is eligible for PS is Bass.  

 

Quote

Practice squad eligibility rules include players with less than one accrued NFL season (six games on an active roster), players who have been on an active roster for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s), players who have earned no more than two accrued seasons with any number of games and players with any number of accrued seasons. 

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-reportedly-proposes-expansion-of-practice-squad-and-here-are-the-details/

[Aplusfool]

In July 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL increased the practice squad size to 16 for the 2020 season, with six slots open to players with any amount of experience. Additionally, each week, teams may designate up to four practice squad players who then cannot be signed by other teams to their active rosters.^[18] Additional protocols are in place for activation of large numbers of practice squad players in the event of an outbreak.

[DCofNC]

I think you see them start w Hauch, but in a time when you could be without a kicker for 2-4 weeks depending on how a Covid test goes and the lack of quality kickers available, I’d be sure to have a Kicker and an QB stashed just in case.   Not having a quality option to kick could easily cost you a game/playoffs.  It’s too big of a risk, especially when you consider kickers are generally responsible for the most points of any individual on the team.

 

For the same reason, I would really have liked to seen Buffalo go after Dalton in FA a lot more aggressively, but if Josh goes down, we get to see Barkley again.. God help us/any team if their QB room gets hit w a round of Covid, it will be an interesting year.  I would personally be requiring full PPE for any time they are not on the field and at very least, full shields on the face masks to reduce the chance of spread as much as possible. I would also not have the QBs or kickers in the same room more than necessary.  
 

I’m not scared of the virus, but you know damn well they aren’t getting to play if they get a positive test and that’s entirely too much risk for the team.  If would be no surprise to me, if a team loses all their QBs in one week, has to go w a guy off the street.  Some of the older, experienced fa’s are going to make bank this year.   Sure wouldn’t be shocked to see Sam Bradford starting again this season. 
 

if I’m a GM, my protected PS list has a QB, K, and T on it For Sure.  You just can’t plug anybody in those spots and hope for the best.  Probably can get by with a P from the street, RB you should be able to live without, etc, but can you imagine if somehow you were to lose you starting QB (maybe even your back up too), LT, and K for 2 weeks? Not many teams can even think about winning in that scenario.  It could easily happen. 

[BuffaloRebound]

58 minutes ago, Aplusfool said:

In July 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL increased the practice squad size to 16 for the 2020 season, with six slots open to players with any amount of experience. Additionally, each week, teams may designate up to four practice squad players who then cannot be signed by other teams to their active rosters.^[18] Additional protocols are in place for activation of large numbers of practice squad players in the event of an outbreak.

There’s your answer.  1 of the 4 who can’t be signed will definitely be a kicker.  Probably a QB too.  Most likely where Bass and the QB from Georgia will end up.  

[Alphadawg7]

14 hours ago, Locomark said:

Will Bass win the job?

How will the team simulate games / pressure in a way that they can comfortably decide to go with the rookie ?  

Do they toss Bass on the practice squad ? 

If they pick Bass, do they try to keep Hauschka on the practice squad and protect him as insurance ? 

 

If this was a normal year, I would say its 50-50 given House Money not being so "money" the last 2 years in consistency and also some diminished power it would appear.  

 

Given the lack of preseason, I think it heavily favors the veteran over the rookie.  Going into a year with such big expectations, its going to be hard to put something so important into the hands of a rookie without having the forum for him to earn his stripes.  No preseason, and not much contact even in practice before the season begins is going to make it really hard for any rookie that wasn't drafted in the first 3 or 4 rounds, to crack NFL rosters of good teams.  

 

The one thing that Bass has going for him though is that Haushka likely wont have a ton of interest on the open market and quite possibly wont get signed.  So if the rookie struggles early, they could potentially bring back Haushka during the season, or a comparable veteran kicker.  

 

Still, while I personally think I would like to see the rookie win the job, I still think it will be a lot harder this year under these circumstances.  Haushka last year wasn't terrible, but he also wasn't good enough to be safe either.  

[GunnerBill]

10 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

If this was a normal year, I would say its 50-50 given House Money not being so "money" the last 2 years in consistency and also some diminished power it would appear.  

 

Given the lack of preseason, I think it heavily favors the veteran over the rookie.  Going into a year with such big expectations, its going to be hard to put something so important into the hands of a rookie without having the forum for him to earn his stripes.  No preseason, and not much contact even in practice before the season begins is going to make it really hard for any rookie that wasn't drafted in the first 3 or 4 rounds, to crack NFL rosters of good teams.  

 

The one thing that Bass has going for him though is that Haushka likely wont have a ton of interest on the open market and quite possibly wont get signed.  So if the rookie struggles early, they could potentially bring back Haushka during the season, or a comparable veteran kicker.  

 

Still, while I personally think I would like to see the rookie win the job, I still think it will be a lot harder this year under these circumstances.  Haushka last year wasn't terrible, but he also wasn't good enough to be safe either.  

 

100% agree with all this Alpha. A lot of people are letting heart rule head on this one. 

[Chandler#81]

3 hours ago, Locomark said:

I really think they need to keep one and keep the other in the PS no matter who wins the role. We saw last year the Hauschka had distance issues but we also know that a rookie kicker could be erratic or he could make a huge difference by booting 57 yarders.

This seems to me to be the most likely because this season is at such a turning point in the franchise. Bass stays as insurance and is protected every week. 

?

2 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

You can't put veterans on the practice squad.  The only Kicker who is eligible for PS is Bass.  

 

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-reportedly-proposes-expansion-of-practice-squad-and-here-are-the-details/

This. We drafted him. Bass won’t make it through waivers.

Maybe whisper to the kick blocking ST “pssst! We have to make a big decision on our Drafted guy vs the tried & true, expensive and aging vet. Bring your nastiest best! For the TEAM!”

[JESSEFEFFER]

How many times did we see a team waive their PK after a loss to the Bills last year?  Jets, Titans Cowboys?  Maybe there was another?  Kickers are not scheme specific nor do they need to learn a playbook.  Thus, there is no patience for young kickers to learn on the job nor is there much tolerance for any kicker that costs a team wins. 

 

There always seems to be a market for free agent kickers once the season begins and I don't think PS is a normal consideration but this is not a normal year.  I can see them starting the season with both on the roster and letting it sort itself out.  Once injuries hit and that extra roster spot becomes more valuable, one might have to go.

[1st Ammendment NoMas]

I don't think you blow a 5th round pick on a kicker to cut him.

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

18 hours ago, Locomark said:

Will Bass win the job?

How will the team simulate games / pressure in a way that they can comfortably decide to go with the rookie ?  

Do they toss Bass on the practice squad ? 

If they pick Bass, do they try to keep Hauschka on the practice squad and protect him as insurance ? 

Just like this

[JMF2006]

9 hours ago, BuffaninSarasota said:

 

and you know this how ?

 

I don't know for sure it just seemed like he lost a lot of distance on his kicks McD didn't trust him on the longer kicks.