Patriots sign K Shayne Graham

[jmt57]

Patriots Sign Kicker Shayne Graham, in Part Because of Heinz Field Experience - NESN.com

The Graham signing makes sense for one major reason. Having spent seven seasons with the Bengals, Graham is used to kicking in Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, which is a notoriously difficult place for kickers.

Graham has converted nine of 11 field-goal attempts in six games at Heinz Field, and he has made all 12 of his extra points. His 81.8 percent field-goal conversion rate is ranked fifth out of the six visiting kickers who have attempted at least six field goals at Heinz Field, which was built in 2001.

Two of the four kickers who have better conversion rates than Graham -- Oakland's Sebastian Janikowski (7-for-8, 87.5 percent) and Indianapolis' Adam Vinatieri (6-for-7, 85.7 percent) -- were unavailable on the free-agent market. The other two -- John Carney (5-for-6, 83.3 percent) and Matt Stover (10-for-12, 83.3 percent) -- were 46 years old and 42 years old, respectively.

That left the Patriots with Graham, who has made 196 of 230 field goals (85.2 percent) in his career, as the Patriots' stopgap until Gostkowski's right leg heals up.

 

[mgteich]

Ojinnaka or Wendell? or Love?

Patriots Sign Kicker Shayne Graham, in Part Because of Heinz Field Experience - NESN.com

 

[jmt57]

I saw the NESN story first, which I thought was interesting because of the Heinz Field angle; remember that 3-0 game in the mud a few years ago?


Anyways, here's the original story from the Herald which Jeff Howe at NESN based his column on.

Boston Herald - Rap Sheet Blog - The Patriots are signing kicker Shayne Graham to fill the Gostkowski void

The Patriots will sign Shayne Graham, I’m told by a league source.

The 10-year NFL veteran was a long-time member of the Cincinnati Bengals who played in one game for the Giants this season. A 6-foot former Virginia Tech player has a career field-goal percentage of 85.2 percent.

He has 46 touchbacks in his career, while making 196 of 230 field goals. Graham will take the place of Gostkowski for roughly two games after he injured his quad against the Browns.

With big games looming at the Steelers and against the Colts, Graham, the former Pro Bowler, could loom large. Hey, at least Wes Welker won’t be needed to kick this week.

Didn't Rapoport report something earlier this year and it turned out to not be true? I think he said the Pats were signing Derrick Brooks last year too. Though in this case, considering the circumstances I can't see this report being incorrect.

 

[jmt57]

Ojinnaka or Wendell? or Love?

I'm trying to think off the top of my head who else has been inactive on multiple game days. Would they cut LeVoir?

 

[Deus Irae]

With the "Players get paid if they're on the roster during the week" (AKA 54 man roster) rule, I'm wondering if we're going to see a rotation on the cut list for the next couple of weeks. It would make waivers a bit more interesting.

 

[TheComeback]

Graham's a decent kicker, but a loser as a person. He showed up at my brother's college a few weeks ago to party with coeds and was hitting on freshman and sophomore girls, bragging about being an NFL player and such (even though the only reason he was there is that he couldn't get a job).

Keep in mind he's 32 years old.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Graham's a decent kicker, but a loser as a person. He showed up at my brother's college a few weeks ago to party with coeds and was hitting on freshman and sophomore girls, bragging about being an NFL player and such (even though the only reason he was there is that he couldn't get a job).

Keep in mind he's 32 years old.

So along with being a very good kicker in Pittsburg he is also the Steelers QB's soulmate.

 

[CheeseMonkeys]

I did a franchise on NFL 2k5 last year and Graham was my kicker with the Pats!

 

[PatsChamp88]

So along with being a very good kicker in Pittsburg he is also the Steelers QB's soulmate.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Graham's a decent kicker, but a loser as a person. He showed up at my brother's college a few weeks ago to party with coeds and was hitting on freshman and sophomore girls, bragging about being an NFL player and such (even though the only reason he was there is that he couldn't get a job).

Keep in mind he's 32 years old.

Something no other adult male would ever do do.

 

[mgteich]

I forgot that Box's binky Ohrnberger was still on the roster. See below for the cases for each of the options. Ohrnberger seems like the best choice to go.

LOVE
He is not needed as a backup NT with Wilfork and Warren both there. Also, there are one more than the norm regarding DL's. We have Wright, Pryor and Brace as backups.

OHRNBERGER
There is one excess interior lineman now that Mankins is playing. It seems that Ohrnberger is at the bottom of the pecking order at C and at OG.

OJINNAKA
He is the #3 or #4 OT as well as being a backup OG. This is the kind of flexibility that
Belichick likes.

WENDELL
He's a one-trick pony, but is our best backup center.

LEVOIR
If one of our OT's were out for a game or two, LeVoir would likely start as he has in the past. I think of him as injury insurance, although Ojinnaka may be a better choice to be active on game day because of his flexibility.

I'm trying to think off the top of my head who else has been inactive on multiple game days. Would they cut LeVoir?

 

[sbpatfan]

They should cut Tom Brady, because he sucks.

J/K. I vote for for one of the offensive lineman, could care less which one it actually is.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I forgot that Box's binky Ohrnberger was still on the roster. See below for the cases for each of the options. Ohrnberger seems like the best choice to go.

I'd prefer to see someone get IRed, in all honesty, rather than waived.

 

[DaBruinz]

Wendell is a back-up at Center and Guard. But, with Mankins back, that pushes Connolly to the primary reserve at the interior lineman spot.

 

[Lansdowne]

Graham's a decent kicker, but a loser as a person. He showed up at my brother's college a few weeks ago to party with coeds and was hitting on freshman and sophomore girls, bragging about being an NFL player and such (even though the only reason he was there is that he couldn't get a job).

Keep in mind he's 32 years old.

I remember hearing a story years ago about Neil Rackers trying to hook up at a bar and mentioning he's a kicker for the Cincinnati Bengals as his selling point. I also recall it didn't end well.

 

[letekro]

Graham's a decent kicker, but a loser as a person. He showed up at my brother's college a few weeks ago to party with coeds and was hitting on freshman and sophomore girls, bragging about being an NFL player and such (even though the only reason he was there is that he couldn't get a job).

Keep in mind he's 32 years old.

I see no issue with this provided that (i) he is single and (ii) he scored.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Graham's a decent kicker, but a loser as a person. He showed up at my brother's college a few weeks ago to party with coeds and was hitting on freshman and sophomore girls, bragging about being an NFL player and such (even though the only reason he was there is that he couldn't get a job).

Keep in mind he's 32 years old.

If the girls want to play what's the big deal...

 

[IcyPatriot]

I remember hearing a story years ago about Neil Rackers trying to hook up at a bar and mentioning he's a kicker for the Cincinnati Bengals as his selling point. I also recall it didn't end well.

Well if he was trying to score Felger he would have done it.

Felger says he gets along best with kickers.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Graham kicks back to back 50+ game winners....what happens to Ghost?

 

[rjw]

I do not like this. Graham earned the nickname of "Shank" during his years in CIN. He is actually the last person I would want to attempt a game winning kick. I think I would trust Welker more than "Shank". But, maybe a change of scenery might help him.