Baugher waived, Chris Hanson signed

[mgteich]

Re: Baugher Waived. Hanson signed.

Sound fine. However, please understand that his agent will be acalling every other team. And what will it mean when he gets zero offers from other teams? Will it mean that our chosen punter, as of a week ago, was not as good as the punter on any team in the league? That'd be a little tough to take, given that a week ago he was starting for a playoff team, and Super Bowl favorite.

I think the reality is that Baugher was simply on the squad in case we couldn't find anyone better in the last cuts. We found better before the final cuts of 600 players.

Sounds about right to me.

 

[BelichickFan]

Gotta say it:

I love WALTER!!!!!

Oh jeez, don't even go there. I can't stand the thought of him being on the field punting for us again

 

[patchick]

Re: Baugher Waived. Hanson signed.

Sound fine. However, please understand that his agent will be acalling every other team. And what will it mean when he gets zero offers from other teams? Will it mean that our chosen punter, as of a week ago, was not as good as the punter on any team in the league? That'd be a little tough to take, given that a week ago he was starting for a playoff team, and Super Bowl favorite.

Sounds fine. However, "please understand" that the speculation was based largely on the curious statement from Baugher's agent which seemed to apply some kind of agreement in place.

Yes, Baugher has to clear waivers first. But other teams passing on an unproven first-year punter doesn't necessarily mean he's worse than 31+ other punters. It just means they're not willing to make room for him on their rosters at this late stage in the game.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Is Tom Tupa still out there?

 

[alamo]

Re: Baugher Waived. Hansen signed.

Honestly, that "clerical error" would likely have been never brought up if Sauerbrun wanted to be here in the first place.

Maybe not... at the time Hansen (or his agent) may have seen himself as the Patriots' insurance against Miller's return from injury, likely to get cut in the final cutdown and then scrambling for a minimum-salary job. It was smart of him to try to become a free agent.

 

[MagicMarker]

I can't see Miller coming back to punt. That Patriots have been openly looking to replace him for almost a year....signing two punters to the practice squad during the season, attempting to keep Sauerbrun, and then cutting Miller.....although they did give him his $100,000 roster bonus, so who knows?

Another possibility. What happens if Paul Enster beats out Todd Sauerbrun in Denver again?

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

I remember that Scott Player used to be a good punter... have no idea if he still has anything left though.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

What happens if Paul Enster beats out Todd Sauerbrun in Denver again?

Either one would be good...

 

[patchick]

Another possibility. What happens if Paul Enster beats out Todd Sauerbrun in Denver again?

Ernster was cut...wouldn't be shocked to see him pass through Foxboro.

 

[BelichickFan]

Hanson is a solid Punter btw. He slipped a little last year but until then his low average the past 5 years was 42.8. Compared to my favorite whipping boy Walter who's high average since 2001 was 38.9. Hanson's career average of 42.9 makes him a below average punter but not at all horrible, 42.9 for team punting last year was 20th out of 32 teams - not great, not a plus, but not a killer either.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Baugher Waived. Hanson signed.

Why, because he hasn't learned the playbook?

Sounds fine. However, "please understand" that the speculation was based largely on the curious statement from Baugher's agent which seemed to apply some kind of agreement in place.

Yes, Baugher has to clear waivers first. But other teams passing on an unproven first-year punter doesn't necessarily mean he's worse than 31+ other punters. It just means they're not willing to make room for him on their rosters at this late stage in the game.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Baugher Waived. Hanson signed.

I'm fine if Baugher agreed not to sign with anyone else to get to be on our Practice Squad. Somehow, I think I'd want a better agent.

Sounds fine. However, "please understand" that the speculation was based largely on the curious statement from Baugher's agent which seemed to apply some kind of agreement in place.

Yes, Baugher has to clear waivers first. But other teams passing on an unproven first-year punter doesn't necessarily mean he's worse than 31+ other punters. It just means they're not willing to make room for him on their rosters at this late stage in the game.

 

[PlattsFan]

When the release of the punter can generate 6 pages of posts, you know you've had a boring training camp ...

 

[BelichickFan]

When the release of the punter can generate 6 pages of posts, you know you've had a boring training camp ...

Two pages for me - depends on your setting of "posts per page"

 

[RayClay]

Re: Baugher Waived. Hansen signed.

Honestly, that "clerical error" would likely have been never brought up if Sauerbrun wanted to be here in the first place.

There wasn't any clerical error, the Pats tried to slip a clause into the contract that didn't belong there and got caught.

 

[patchick]

Hanson is a solid Punter btw. He slipped a little last year but until then his low average the past 5 years was 42.8. Compared to my favorite whipping boy Walter who's high average since 2001 was 38.9. Hanson's career average of 42.9 makes him a below average punter but not at all horrible, 42.9 for team punting last year was 20th out of 32 teams - not great, not a plus, but not a killer either.

NFL.com lists sortable stats for 32 punters in 2006. If you look at net yardage, the very last three in order are all disturbingly familiar:

Ken Walter
Chris Hanson
Todd Sauerbrun



The unsigned Paul Ernster, interestingly, was solidly middle-of-the-pack.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Baugher Waived. Hanson signed.

I miss Ken Walter.

Ducks into a nearby bunker muttering "well, BB wanted fireworks for Labor Day."

If Hanson mistakenly hurt his foot wielding an axe given to him by the coach, I wonder what part of the anatomy Walter's would have hit, given his propensity for coming up 20 yards short?

You're old enough to remember Ed Ames on the Johnny Carson show, no?

 

[nowayback]

rather have a punter that can kick it 60-70 yards when we are at our own 20 then one who place it at their 10 when we are punting from the 50. we are supposed to have a good defence. of course we may get great field position but the overall field position battle in a defensive struggle is won more easily with a long punt...and of course a short return

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

Ernster was cut...wouldn't be shocked to see him pass through Foxboro.

Yeah, I just read that... Paul was cut.

 

[RayClay]

NFL.com lists sortable stats for 32 punters in 2006. If you look at net yardage, the very last three in order are all disturbingly familiar:

Ken Walter
Chris Hanson
Todd Sauerbrun



The unsigned Paul Ernster, interestingly, was solidly middle-of-the-pack.

I really think punting statistics are misleading. For instance, a really bad team would be making a lot of long punts etc. etc.

Although BBs macabre fascination for Browns ballboy Ken Walter has never been fully explained, he does value placement over distance, probably because we have a good team and usually are trying to place inside the twenty rather than boom them from deep in our own territory.