Any plans of getting a new punter?

[ATippett56]

I kind of don't want to see Chris Hanson again next year...

Dante Culpepper will be the Patriots new punter in 2008. Didn't you hear? According to John Clayton, Culpepper and Moss are a packaged deal.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Tolson has a 4 year committment to the Military. I don't think he will get out of it! Look for Mike Dragosavich to get selected late.

The Pats had a deal in place (before Nick Saban #%#%ed him over) that would have allowed Eckel to stay with the team and meet his commitments at a nearby naval base. I don't know if the same could be done for an Army grad, nor do I know for sure that it can't.

 

[stcjones]

As great a coach as Bill Belichick is, he has some curious blind spots. The punter position seems to be one. (The backup QB position is another. What would have happened had Brady gone down and Rohan Davey been brought in?) Both Chris Hanson and Ken Walter have had gross punting averages that would embarass a good college punter. If they can't drop the ball inside the 20, they are worthless. Hanson was hardly used during the regular season, but in the SuperBowl, when the Patriots were losing the field position battle, he was of no help. For a coach who strives to get every detail right, I just don't understand going with a noodle leg. It's not as if even the best punter will break the bank.

I agree with this overall.....although Josh Miller was pretty darned good......other than that, BB has not been tremendous in his choice of punters.........Ken Walters? Chris Hanson? Hanson killed us in the SB as you stated, and several other times during the year when he had to come in........I recall a brilliant 14 yarder in one game......Get hanson out of here....and get someone who can really do the job!

 

[PaulThePat]

Feagles embarrassed Hanson in the Superbowl. The Patriots punter should have retired from football after that performance.

 

[Patjew]

I still don't get why they dumped Miller. Best punter the Pats have had in ... decades.

And I'm not kidding.

 

[sieglo]

Feagles embarrassed Hanson in the Superbowl. The Patriots punter should have retired from football after that performance.

That Gostkowski kickoff out of bounds wasn't exactly a golden moment either.

 

[chrisfx811]

I want Art-omatic Carmody to take Gostkowski's place.
Idk crap about punters in college though.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I want Art-omatic Carmody to take Gostkowski's place.
Idk crap about punters in college though.

Carmody isn't better than Gostkowski, and even Wes Welker has about 30 pounds on Carmody.

 

[skri65]

I still don't get why they dumped Miller. Best punter the Pats have had in ... decades.

And I'm not kidding.

I was thinking the same thing when he was released. I had zero problems with Miller. I mean, he was getting up there in age, but that is no matter with punters.

Worse comes to worst, we could always re-sign flutie

 

[SeanBruschi54]

I still don't get why they dumped Miller. Best punter the Pats have had in ... decades.

And I'm not kidding.

Couldnt pin balls down inside the 20. Was not effective enough if needed to tackle. Lost a ton of leg stregth and hang time.



Take a look at Mike Dragosavich coming out in this years draft. he should be the best punter in the draft in my book.

 

[Patjew]

Couldnt pin balls down inside the 20. Was not effective enough if needed to tackle. Lost a ton of leg stregth and hang time.

I disagree with the irst point. That was Miller's bread and butter and why is punting yards avg wasn't as high as it might have been.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

I disagree with the irst point. That was Miller's bread and butter and why is punting yards avg wasn't as high as it might have been.

From 2005 to 2006 his number was literally cut in half on inside the 20 kicks. He also had more touchbacks.

Maybe im wrong but i could of sworn that was one of the reason he was cut.

 

[DaBruinz]

I kind of don't want to see Chris Hanson again next year...

What do you have against Hanson? The Pats punting unit, though it was 26th in GROSS yardage, was 10th in net yardage.

Also, opposing teams only netted 5.357 yards per punt return. Good for 2nd in the league.

 

[DaBruinz]

During the regular season I was able to just deal with it.

But Hanson kicking into the god damn endzone @ our own 45 yard line - giving the Giants the ball on the 20 on the drive that would eventually lead to their first TD of the 4th quarter really hurt us.

So, because the defense couldn't hold the Giants from rolling 80 yards, its Hanson's fault? Something is whacked with your sense of reality there.

 

[DaBruinz]

I actually didn't hate Ken Walter all that much (the first time, not the second). I don't think having a strong leg is that important - hang time is everything. With some of the amazing athletes returning punts these days, you want to kill their ability to make game changing plays. Sauerbrun didn't have enough hang time, and Hanson still allowed too many returns without many downed inside the 20.

BB has shown a willingness to go with youth and unknown at the kicking position, I think he can find some obscure punter to get the job done.

Here's a newsflash for you. Hanson only had 31.8% (14/44)of his punts returned. That was good for 2nd in the league.

 

[PaulThePat]

So, because the defense couldn't hold the Giants from rolling 80 yards, its Hanson's fault?

Of course it isn't. The point the poster is making (and most if not all would agree with) is that an NFL calibre punter should not be booting it through the end zone when in midfield

 

[DaBruinz]

Of course it isn't. The point the poster is making (and most if not all would agree with) is that an NFL calibre punter should not be booting it through the end zone when in midfield

Then I guess every punter in the NFL should be fired because they ALL have done that at some point or another. Its called an UNREALISTIC expectation.

And one mistake doesn't erase all the good things that having Hanson as the punter HELPED the Patriots with. As I pointed out.

1) Fewest number of punts returned (14)
2) Second lowest number of punts returned by % (31.8)
3) Second lowest punt return average at 5.357 YPR
4) 10th best NET Average at 39.7 Yards per punt

Now, where I admit that Hanson needs improvement is with the % inside the 20 and TBs. He only had 13 of 44 inside the 20. He also had 6 TBs. The 13 inside the 20 places him 23rd in the league. the 6 TBs places him at 16th in the league.

Now, could the Pats IMPROVE on that? Probably. But, in the scheme of things, the PUNTING GAME is probably 6th or 7th on the priority list behind improving the depth at CB, safety, ILB, OLB, OT and possibly OG.