The New Kickoff Rules Change Everything

[SlowGettingUp]

KC suggests they may not use their kicker (Butker) for kickoffs - instead preferring someone that can both kick and tackle. Large number of plays involve the kicker blocking or tackling. Hang time now irrelevant.

Well worth a listen to their Special Teams coordinator, Dave Toub:

 

[BTTA]

Oh man, this is SO hard to leave alone.

 

[XLIX]

Teams have had different kickers for kickoffs before, but if they do it then the guy better be able to kick it into the landing zone. Good field position for the receiving team if they don't.

 

[signbabybrady]

I love the new rules so far. So much added strategy and it should result in some fun special teams plays that were almost all touchbacks recently.

In theory I love this idea a linebacker with some soccer experience should be able to handle a kickoff. On the flip side kicking with accuracy might be as vital as ever as one small mistake could open up a seam that could result in huge returns even with a better tackler at kicker.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

A non full time kicker may have placement issues along with the soon to be much rarer onside kick I’m thinking…

 

[SlowGettingUp]

"Kickers [in XFL] were involved in at least 25-40% of tackles."

So real risk of injury as well as missing a tackle.

The other issue here is that you no longer need a kicker that can boot it through the end zone in bad weather. That's why we moved on from Folk - his leg just wasn't up to that any longer. So accurate veterans become a better bet. Slye actually has a good leg (made a 61 yarder for the Commanders).

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Slye is actually fairly hefty and strong for a kicker - 213 lb and 21 reps at his pro day, so maybe he would do OK back there tackling. Ryland is an inch taller and nearly 20 lb lighter.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Long article in the Globe today:

Bill Belichick said in April that he expects faster players to be replaced by bigger and stronger players. And with 10 of the 11 defenders essentially standing shoulder to shoulder on the 40, there’s only one line of defense to beat, which could result in a lot of big returns, putting a bigger onus on the kicker as the last defender.

“You just need guys who can play at the point of attack, shed blocks, and defend their space because of the new alignment,” Belichick said. “So I think it will increase the size of the players that are on the field. And I do think that because everybody is spread across the field, if these returners, if they hit a little bit of space, they’re gone.”

NFL teams are starting to practice the new kickoff rules, and no one knows how it’s all going to work​

NFL teams are starting to practice the new kickoff rules, and no one knows how it’s all going to work - The Boston Globe

The new rules are perhaps the most drastic change to the sport since the forward pass was legalized in 1933.

www.bostonglobe.com

 

[dliverey44]

KC suggests they may not use their kicker (Butker) for kickoffs - instead preferring someone that can both kick and tackle. Large number of plays involve the kicker blocking or tackling. Hang time now irrelevant.

Well worth a listen to their Special Teams coordinator, Dave Toub:

They are basically putting the ***** in the kitchen. lmao

 

[VrabelJr]

I thought Butker was a man’s man. Get his butt out there!

 

[1960Pats]

I thought Butker was a man’s man. Get his butt out there!

It's not his call if he's out there and I don't think we'll see FG kickers in for kickoffs anyway. Teams will need tacklers instead.

 

[Triumph]

I thought Butker was a man’s man. Get his butt out there!

Butker is the man.

Do you really want to lose the best Kicker in the NFL due to stupidity?

 

[XLIX]

Here's a related article about how Tucker and the Ravens are preparing. Quite honestly if I was the Ravens I wouldn't let Tucker kickoff. He's the best FG guy in the NFL.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker bulking up for new kickoff rules

Justin Tucker said he added a few pounds over the offseason to prepare for the league's new kickoff rules.

www.espn.com

 

[Triumph]

The goal for the KO team is to place the ball as close to the goal line as possible.

So, you would definitely want your best most accurate Kicker on the field.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

So, you would definitely want your best most accurate Kicker on the field.

Yes - but now there is a significant chance he will have to tackle a RB-type player running at full speed. If the returner gets through the single line of players, then the kicker is playing free safety.

Maybe we will see some teams drop another player back to act as a safety.

 

[Triumph]

Yes - but now there is a significant chance he will have to tackle a RB-type player running at full speed. If the returner gets through the single line of players, then the kicker is playing free safety.

Maybe we will see some teams drop another player back to act as a safety.

Hang time.

The KO team can now line up at the opponents 40 yard line.

 

[Ian]

Here's a related article about how Tucker and the Ravens are preparing. Quite honestly if I was the Ravens I wouldn't let Tucker kickoff. He's the best FG guy in the NFL.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker bulking up for new kickoff rules

Justin Tucker said he added a few pounds over the offseason to prepare for the league's new kickoff rules.

www.espn.com

It’ll be interesting to see if this messes with his accuracy. I remember how bad Gostkowski was messed up after he started focusing on aiming kickoffs. Definitely wasn’t the same guy after that.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Hang time.

Doesn't really help because everyone is frozen until the ball lands or is touched.

 

[stinkypete]

PFT made a good point. Once a team gets burned a few times, they may give up entirely and just accept the touchback. It's a loss of 5 yards compared with last year.

 

[1960Pats]

The goal for the KO team is to place the ball as close to the goal line as possible.

So, you would definitely want your best most accurate Kicker on the field.

The goal is to get as close to the goal line as possible without going into the endzone. It seems like the Pats have the right idea by placing the ball on it's side. It could get a little more backspin that way. But until I see how it actually plays out I don't want a FG kicker put in harms way.