Expectations on Gots?

[Remix 6]

Last year, Jets took Mike Nugent in the 2nd round. He is a promising young kicker and last years stats:

8/9 from 20-29 yards, 7-10 from 40-49 yards, and 0-2 from 50+ tottaling to 22/28 and close to 79% with 1 kick blocked

Gotskowski was best kicker in our draft. How long does he have to be a great kicker before we get pissed at him? A rookie kicker..3 years should be when he plays like a vet and starts kicking with above 82% anyone agree? He'll face tough situations..and easy. will make the easy kicks and might even miss a few. Im hoping he can pan out really well. Vinatieri was around 77% rookie year, last years best rookie was around 79% so to have a pretty good rookie year as a kicker..id say over 77% accuaracy

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Last year, Jets took Mike Nugent in the 2nd round. He is a promising young kicker and last years stats:

8/9 from 20-29 yards, 7-10 from 40-49 yards, and 0-2 from 50+ tottaling to 22/28 and close to 79% with 1 kick blocked

Gotskowski was best kicker in our draft. How long does he have to be a great kicker before we get pissed at him? A rookie kicker..3 years should be when he plays like a vet and starts kicking with above 82% anyone agree? He'll face tough situations..and easy. will make the easy kicks and might even miss a few. Im hoping he can pan out really well. Vinatieri was around 77% rookie year, last years best rookie was around 79% so to have a pretty good rookie year as a kicker..id say over 77% accuaracy

It sounds like he's had a pretty good camp vs. the Hamburgler. There doesn't seem to be a lot of negatives with him. Really solid leg. A history of accuracy in college. I just hope he doesn't have to win a playoff game this year. That could be a little dicey.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I'm expecting him to either go to the Practice Squad or be held on the roster in lieu of a third QB. Gramatica is more consistent as I read the reports and still seems to have a good enough leg for kickoffs - but I do not want Gostkowski to get away, he seems like the real deal for a long term kicker.

 

[arrellbee]

I'm expecting him to either go to the Practice Squad or be held on the roster in lieu of a third QB. Gramatica is more consistent as I read the reports and still seems to have a good enough leg for kickoffs - but I do not want Gostkowski to get away, he seems like the real deal for a long term kicker.

Don't you think he would be snatched up in a NY heartbeat from the practice squad ??

 

[Mike the Brit]

My thoughts entirely. Anyway, kicking under pressure is one of those skills that you have to learn on the job. If he has to go through the apprenticeship sometime, it may as well be now!

 

[Remix 6]

and are you allowed to put a 4th rounder on Practice Squad? Thats a stupid move. Its either we need both kickers and 2 QBs, or we keep Gotskowski and get a 3rd QB

 

[SoonerPatriot]

I'm expecting him to either go to the Practice Squad or be held on the roster in lieu of a third QB. Gramatica is more consistent as I read the reports and still seems to have a good enough leg for kickoffs - but I do not want Gostkowski to get away, he seems like the real deal for a long term kicker.

Box - not to disagree, but in reading just about everything that has been reported on this duel it seems like they're pretty even.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

bee: Perhaps, which is why I held out the option of keeping him on the 53. As far as being snatched off the Squad: the danger lies in waiving him, anybody could claim him off waivers. Once he's signed to the Squad, he has the option to decline offers and remain with the Pats.

mix: You can put anybody who is eligible on the Practice Squad, round doesn't matter. Stupid? Well I'm as sharp as a Box_O_Rocks so the adjective was superfluous.

Sooner: Pretty close is right, but after 13-14 practices the impression I'm getting from the reports is Gramatica is more consistent and accurate, while Gostkowski has an impressive leg. I want the kid for the long haul, but if Gramatica gives us a better chance to win this season, he is young enough to give us 3-4 good years, maybe more.

As BB said, we've got a lot of competition to go yet, but since the question was asked today, my answer would be Gramatica and an attempt to hang on to the kid.

 

[mgcolby]

I won't be able to stomach that idiot jumping around like he just won the superbowl after every damn extra point!

I hate both Gramatica's they have been on my strange list of folks in the NFL that I dislike very much for various reasons i.e. Mike Martz, TO etc.. I will root for him to make the FG's but I will have to not look at the tv for the duration of the kick.

I know it is a stupid pet peeve but it's mine and I will deal with it if need be. But I am definitly rooting for the Ghost so that I don't have to.

 

[Sundayjack]

Last year, Jets took Mike Nugent in the 2nd round. He is a promising young kicker and last years stats:

8/9 from 20-29 yards, 7-10 from 40-49 yards, and 0-2 from 50+ tottaling to 22/28 and close to 79% with 1 kick blocked

Nugent had a REAL rough start to the season, but came around to show himself as a reliable field goal kicker from medium distance. We were all told that he had a cannon for a leg, so his short kickoffs were a disappointment. I've growled ad nauseam on Jets boards about how you should NEVER spend a first day pick on a kicker, but he should have a good long career in New York.

As for Gotskowski, I don't know how you could spend a fourth round pick on a kicker and not have him on the roster. Unless he shows himself as wholly unreliable through preseason, that is. Otherwise the margin between good kickers and great kickers is slimmer than most other positions.

 

[Kdo5]

Eh get the Ghost, keep him on the roster. Gramatica may be doing decent but I dont want an older kicker whos leg isnt amazing. The Ghost has a very good leg, had a decent camp plus passed BB's "pressure" kick #1 in Minicamp.

 

[spacecrime]

Last year, Jets took Mike Nugent in the 2nd round. He is a promising young kicker and last years stats:

8/9 from 20-29 yards, 7-10 from 40-49 yards, and 0-2 from 50+ tottaling to 22/28 and close to 79% with 1 kick blocked

Gotskowski was best kicker in our draft. How long does he have to be a great kicker before we get pissed at him? A rookie kicker..3 years should be when he plays like a vet and starts kicking with above 82% anyone agree? He'll face tough situations..and easy. will make the easy kicks and might even miss a few. Im hoping he can pan out really well. Vinatieri was around 77% rookie year, last years best rookie was around 79% so to have a pretty good rookie year as a kicker..id say over 77% accuaracy

AV came within a inch of being cut his second year IIRC.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

I won't be able to stomach that idiot jumping around like he just won the superbowl after every damn extra point!

I know it is a stupid pet peeve but it's mine and I will deal with it if need be. But I am definitly rooting for the Ghost so that I don't have to.

Honestly, I'm right there with you. I know it's petty and I'm almost ashamed of myself, but I just can't stand the thought of watching that goofball jump around like a spaz every time he kicks one through.

 

[RayClay]

Kickers are up and down. It's all confidence. I think you have to decide if you think he has the stuff and stick with him for a while.

He'll miss some. If he bounces back, he's probably got it.

Hamburgler's funny stuff BTW. I think he's a dip too plus Gost's got a killer leg, kickoff through the goalpost.

 

[BelichickFan]

My only expectation is that he'll be on the roster. Belichick has the balls to cut a 4th round pick out of camp but I don't see it happening. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine. He has the leg to be better than Vinatraitor but rookie PK often struggle and New England isn't the easiest place to kick.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Josh Miller's assessment of the replacing Adam situation dating back to March was the next kicker isn't going to be the guy who replaces Adam - it will be the guy who comes after him. Rookie kickers struggle even when they aren't following a HOF PK. Unless they really need the roster spot or he fugs up in camp, I have a feeling they keep both and Martin takes the lumps while the kid waits in the wings. By next season Gostkowski is being judged differently - being better than Dramatica will be an upgrade.

And another possibility is that Gramatica tags along as insurance until somebody comes off PUP in week 7-10 and they need the roster spot.

If Gostkowski doesn't see the bulk of the snaps or sruggles as the season progresses he likely gets an all expenses paid trip to Europe next spring to hone his craft in game conditions.

 

[spacecrime]

And another possibility is that Gramatica tags along as insurance until somebody comes off PUP in week 7-10 and they need the roster spot.

Ah, good point.

If Gostkowski doesn't see the bulk of the snaps or sruggles as the season progresses he likely gets an all expenses paid trip to Europe

This worked for Vinatieri

 

[arrellbee]

bee: Perhaps, which is why I held out the option of keeping him on the 53. As far as being snatched off the Squad: the danger lies in waiving him, anybody could claim him off waivers. Once he's signed to the Squad, he has the option to decline offers and remain with the Pats.

VERY good point. But if somebody waives money in front of him and the opportunity to do all of the kicking ?? ?? I would be pessimistic.

I have a tendency to think, without any real hard info, that Gostkowski will make the 53 if he comes even reasonably close to Grammatica in preseason kicks and that it is Gramatica that has to show some really high accuracy to also get a valuable 53 slot.

Kickoff distance and/or hang time should be a BIG factor. In the regular season, and perhaps even in post season, that might be a big advantage tradeoff against missing the odd field goal. As has been mentioned in other threads, IIRC, if you score a TD or the defense holds the other team without a score, you may not need that critical field goal.

Just as a matter of physical tools, when you look at photos of Gostkowski and Gramatica, Gostkowski is MUCH bigger. Stats give Gostkowski a 5 inch and 42# advantage over Gramatica. That's a big difference.

 

[AzPatsFan]

One of Adam Vnatieri's endearing qualities was his willingness to mix it up in the kickcoverage. He was the eleventh coverage guy and he made score saving tackles on several maybe as many as a half dozen situations in his career.

Automatica doesn't appear to have that size/ability. Ghost is/was a baseball athlete offered a MLB contract, with better size than AV, so I assume he has some athletic ability beyond kicking. It's a pity that the league doesn't keep those statistics. It is a hidden dimension of a kicker's value.

Ditto for the ability to play a fair imitation of a QB or RB, for fake FGs. AV has a TD pass to his credit.

Meanwhile I like the suggestion of having the loser tag along for half a season until PUPpies need the roster space.

Question for the attendees at practice: Do you ever see the kickers getting instruction in tackling drills or running or passing??

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

This has been a good discussion - BB has several ways to go once the camp/preseason competition shakes out. Mo captured the stray thoughts floating aimlessly in the back of my mind, I want to keep both because the veteran will smooth the way for the rookie who has the long term potential to be the next kicking legend.

As far as Martin's dance steps - I hear a lot of jealousy from the two-step challenged... Perhaps Chad Johnson can teach him some River Dance so he can hoof it to the sidelines fashionably.