msw2112 Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 I admittedly don't know all of the nuances of the practice squad and COVID list this season, but I agree that this is a good idea. Not only can you add a guy quickly, but you'd also know that he'd have some amount of practice time when called upon. I agree that you'd want to have a guy who can make most of the easy ones and an occasional harder one. I suppose that you could get away without a kicker for 1 game in the regular season - go for 2, go for it on 4th, and punt more often, but you can't take that kind of risk in a one-and-done playoff game.
Bulldog Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 1 hour ago, H2o said: Duke Williams does not approve this message. Some of the big time Duke Williams fans on this board probably think that Duke himself should be the emergency kicker in case Tyler Bass can't play - even though he has never place kicked in a professional football game. After all I seem to keep reading on here that Duke should play tight-end for us - even though he has never played that position either!
Hapless Bills Fan Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 1 hour ago, mushypeaches said: Seeing full well the escalation of COVID and its random impacts on NFL teams and schedules, first I'm glad that the Bills have been diligent with protocols, and have been proactive with isolating one of their QB's (Fromm) all season. Not that he would have done great in a situation like the Broncos just went through on Sunday, but you get the picture. At what point would it seem prudent to sign a reserve place-kicker and stash him on the Practice Squad for this type of insurance? With 15 spots on the PS, it's not like we're really hurting the team by devoting one to an emergency kicker. But I'd certainly rather have one going into the playoffs than be forced to scramble or heaven forbid, cost us a game if Bass can't play. I think it's the next step of being sufficiently prepared and ready - and maybe ahead of the curve if other playoff-bound teams are also thinking this way. C'mon Beane - get'r done! I have a lot of faith in the Bills contingency planning. I think they have throwing contests and kicking contests for all the players during training camp, and they have ideas about who could work as a kicker or a punter in a pinch. Long snapper is a good question.
mushypeaches Posted November 30, 2020 Author Posted November 30, 2020 3 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said: I have a lot of faith in the Bills contingency planning. I think they have throwing contests and kicking contests for all the players during training camp, and they have ideas about who could work as a kicker or a punter in a pinch. Long snapper is a good question. This is priceless - I want to be standing next to you in a playoff game when we send Micah Hyde out to kick the game winning FG
Albany,n.y. Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 78 year old Pete Gogolak is alive and kicking and just waiting for an opportunity to set the record as the oldest active player in NFL history.
NoSaint Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Captain Hindsight said: I wouldn't be opposed to having a reserve kicker, but its more likely you can get through a game without a kicker/punter/LS than say a QB. Just go for two and squib kick with whoever volunteers. It won't be pretty, but it wouldn't be a disaster and when you are down two and 30 yards out? I think it’s a no brainer to have one due to the week long holding pattern on new signings 1 hour ago, YattaOkasan said: Why does any of that unit need to interact with the rest of the team (hell can almost stay away from each other too)? From that perspective i think the likelihood of losing a kicking unit be low whereas QBs share a room together and interact with other team members. what about outside exposure?
YattaOkasan Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 5 minutes ago, NoSaint said: what about outside exposure? Def a concern. My biggest hope is that coaching staff has emphasized how important it is to take care of self outside the building like with nutrition.
NoSaint Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) 7 minutes ago, YattaOkasan said: Def a concern. My biggest hope is that coaching staff has emphasized how important it is to take care of self outside the building like with nutrition. even if they are excellent about it - there is risk. wife (or gf) gets sick at the grocery store and we have a linebacker kicking in the super bowl? Don’t like it. Edited November 30, 2020 by NoSaint
YattaOkasan Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 1 minute ago, NoSaint said: even if they are excellent about it - there is risk. wife (or gf) gets sick at the grocery store and we have a linebacker kicking in the super bowl? Don’t like it. To a degree its the nature of the business. We could take away all the shower mats?
NoSaint Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 2 minutes ago, YattaOkasan said: To a degree its the nature of the business. We could take away all the shower mats? right, but in a normal year there’s no waiting period for signings, and while it’s not ideal to be forced to scheme around a guy being out - this is definitely a uniquely large drop off in what could be key moments. running extra nickel packages because a lb is out isn’t quite the same as having a lb handling all kicking duties
PromoTheRobot Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 Kaare Vedvik would be the ideal PS kicker since he can place kick AND punt. Poorly, but he does both.
YattaOkasan Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 7 minutes ago, NoSaint said: right, but in a normal year there’s no waiting period for signings, and while it’s not ideal to be forced to scheme around a guy being out - this is definitely a uniquely large drop off in what could be key moments. running extra nickel packages because a lb is out isn’t quite the same as having a lb handling all kicking duties I get it. I can understand Vedvik cause he can do both but I wouldnt want to use multiple spots on the PS. We have used those players a good bit this season. Do we know how many other teams are keeping a kicker on the PS for this? Do we think itll change after the broncos situation?
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 52 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said: I have a lot of faith in the Bills contingency planning. I think they have throwing contests and kicking contests for all the players during training camp, and they have ideas about who could work as a kicker or a punter in a pinch. Long snapper is a good question. You'd have a few days to try some people out.
eSJayDee Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Shaw66 said: There always are 6 or 10 or 12 kickers with NFL experience (some game experience, but at least significant practice experience) bagging groceries somewhere, staying in shape and practicing their kicking. When your kicker goes down, you just go sign one of those guys. Problem is the timing of signing them (You think maybe the Broncos would've signed someone off the streets to play QB if they could have). I believe it takes 5 days to get someone on your roster, so unless you're kicker gets sick Monday or Tues, you'd be SOL. As for the thought of stashing a K on PS, the idea has merit, but don't know if it's that important. 1st, I imagine it's much easier to keep your kicker isolated so they're not at risk for being Covid listed due to exposure. 2ndly, you've got 60 plus elite athletes available as a replacement. Unlike say a QB, there's minimal "knowledge" that a kicker (or punter) needs. It's pretty much plug & play. Your expected loss on kickoffs is minimal, perhaps a few yards. As for FGs, yes you're probably dropping you expected make rate from an aggregate of say 90% to maybe 70%. If you think your odds decrease too much for PATs, you always having the option of going for 2 (an aside, IMO I think stats probably bear out that you should go for 2 more often). Depending on who's available, how much more confident would you be of an inexperienced, unproven kicker? It's certainly something to consider, but given the apparent value of having the extra player(s) (I actually think a punter might be at least as important) available, I think NOT stashing a K &/or P is an acceptable calculated risk.
Hapless Bills Fan Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 27 minutes ago, dneveu said: You'd have a few days to try some people out. Not necessarily? As I understand it, it's 5 days between working someone out and being able to sign them/bring them into the facility. But I could be wrong.
Saxum Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 Bring in Moorman. He can help Bojorquez in ways ST coach cannot and if necessary kick.
That's No Moon Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Shaw66 said: There always are 6 or 10 or 12 kickers with NFL experience (some game experience, but at least significant practice experience) bagging groceries somewhere, staying in shape and practicing their kicking. When your kicker goes down, you just go sign one of those guys. I don't see the need to keep kickers on the practice squad. Practice squad players are essentially free agents - they can leave any time to take a roster spot elsewhere. If the Bills have a kicker on their practice squad and almost any NFL team offers him a contract to be on the active roster, he's going. If the Bills don't have one and they need a kicker, a kicker on someone else's practice squad would take the job in a heartbeat. The problem become if you lose your kicker on a Saturday and don't have time to sign a guy and clear him through protocols. You put him on the PS just to get him through protocol in advance. IMO this NEEDS to happen. Kickers don't matter until they matter. I don't want to go into a playoff game with no kicker because we didn't both to stash one. 1
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said: Not necessarily? As I understand it, it's 5 days between working someone out and being able to sign them/bring them into the facility. But I could be wrong. oh i meant like - a guy on the team can try out to snap, punt, kick etc. 2 minutes ago, That's No Moon said: The problem become if you lose your kicker on a Saturday and don't have time to sign a guy and clear him through protocols. You put him on the PS just to get him through protocol in advance. IMO this NEEDS to happen. Kickers don't matter until they matter. I don't want to go into a playoff game with no kicker because we didn't both to stash one. I'm not opposed. If a kicker goes down, you're likely to use the punter. NFL teams likely know this, and have their punters practice kicking as a contingency. The question is whos doing either if they both can't play? Methinks in the playoffs they'd make some kind of exception and let you bring a guy in and just test the hell out of him 👨⚕️ Edited November 30, 2020 by dneveu
That's No Moon Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 5 minutes ago, dneveu said: Methinks in the playoffs they'd make some kind of exception and let you bring a guy in and just test the hell out of him 👨⚕️ They just made Denver play a meaningful game with no QBs in the same week that they delayed Pittsburgh and Baltimore. I don't trust the league to do anything fairly, justly, or correctly. Have a kicker on stand-by. Furthermore, I don't trust Corey Bojorquez to punt or hold RIGHT NOW so I really don't want him placekicking anything. Ever.
NoSaint Posted November 30, 2020 Posted November 30, 2020 49 minutes ago, YattaOkasan said: I get it. I can understand Vedvik cause he can do both but I wouldnt want to use multiple spots on the PS. We have used those players a good bit this season. Do we know how many other teams are keeping a kicker on the PS for this? Do we think itll change after the broncos situation? To be fair, kicker is the only spot I’m advocating. I’d hope someone could pooch a few 30 yard punts without returns. I don’t think anyone else is reliably putting it through the uprights from 40+ though. A backup long snapper can be kept at the opposite side of the room in OL meetings and get a ton of meaningful reps during the season
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