italian pat patriot

i think the Paul Edinger option seems 'frozen' and probably the Pats are not interested in him...

after the first visit it seems there is only silence

and probably Edinger is not the right answer

could it means that we will go to take a kicker in the draft and have him in the regular season ?

what is yr prediction ?

dryheat44

Doug Brien if a rookie doesn't come in and impress greatly.

__________________
When it's third and 10, you can have the milk drinkers and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time. -- R.I.P. Max McGee

JJDChE

We'll bring in a few low dollar guys in camp and they'll slug it out for the starting position.

If none of them can hack it we'll bring in one of the several vet kickers who are usually still sitting around at the end of camp.

BelichickFan

Who knows. Rookies, Vet FA will compete. Nick Novak looked pretty good last year, I think he's with Arizona but won't make the team ahead of Rackers. Someone like him will probably compete with a rookie draft choice or UDFA.

SeanBruschi54

Novak was really solid on FG's, but i'm not sure how he would be on kickoffs.

Lamanai

Like everyone else, i'd like a sure thing kicker. But the truth is that the kickers on whole have improved so much over the past few decades that there just isn't much of a difference between most of the kickers in the league. There was only *one*starting kicker in the NFL who hit less than 70% of his FGs last season. We are replacing a kicker who ranked in the middle of the pack at 80%, and who earned that mostly on shorties.

Unless folks think that AV was going to improve significantly this upcoming season, there is every reason to believe we'll be able to get similar or only slightly less production from a competitive battle among draftees, UFA and veterans. We may get lucky and do better, and improve on kickoffs too.

To answer the original question: I think it will be a drafted rookie, perhaps the kid Huston they worked out.

p8ryts

He kicked well for MD for four years, made clutch kicks.
Last year with Skins, he made a game winning field goal with no time left. His kickoff range is similar to Vinatieri.

MoLewisrocks

He was 80% accurate, but his long FG was only 40 and his KO ave was 57. He bounced around last season between the Bears, Cowboys and Redskins before the Cardinals picked him up.

Besides, he won't be available for camp tryouts:

Cardinals | Team re-signs Novak
Tue, 4 Apr 2006 11:26:27 -0700

The Arizona Cardinals announced the re-signing of exclusive rights free agent PK Nick Novak to a one-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

italian pat patriot

personally i have nothing contrary on a rookie kicker and Huston could be
the right choice

we probably need 'fresh legs' at this time

certainly a rookie in the NFL under pressure is not the best thingh to test
anyway i am in favour of it in nothing of better value arrives

BelichickFan

Why would they re-sign him when they have Rackers ?

Regarding kickoffs, yes, his were a couple yards short than Vinatieri's. OTOH, returns off his kicks were a yard or two shorter. Is that better coverage or better hang time ? Who knows.

But Rackers is only 30 and was an amazing 13-14 from 40-49 and 6-7 from 50+. Wow.