Re: Kickers
 

[quote=dmek25;434101]all i was talking about was the veteran exception rule. that would be nice to have in the nfl. because we will probably never see another Darrell Green, or Brett Favre again. the player that stays with his original team for his whole career. seeing Art Monk in an ugly ass jets uniform is not how i want to remember him[/quote]But what if the alternative is that players around the league retire earlier because the best money for 30+ players will only be available if their current team still has the need at the position?

This is just my personal opinion, but if a guy like Brunell, who I enjoy watching play, can extend his career by signing with New Orleans (and Brunell is a poor example for multiple reasons, but bear with me), then I'm all for him doing so, if the alternative is retiring.

I wasn't old enough to comprehend Monk days as a Jet or Eagle, but I'm sure I would have rooted for him even though he was no longer a Skin, and it would have been a better alternative than to have him retire simply because the Redskins want to go in a different direction.

Re: Kickers
 

[quote=riggins44;434106]The NFL needs a veteran exception rule, to encourage home grown players.

In regard to kickers, it is hard to justify big bucks for an aging guy. You can a good young kicker for a lot less. The money you save could be spent elsewhere. It's rare to find a kicker worth major dollars.

I'm curious to see how Elam does in Atlanta. He will have the advantage of playing in a dome, but not the thinner air of Denver.[/quote]

Elam is 26/32 career kicking in a dome. That's 81.3%, better than his 80.6% total career percentage. His long is 56 yards inside. Outside was 63 yards, which was in Denver's air. He's also a perfect 48/48 on PATs in domes. He's 601/604 total for his career on PATs so that stat really doesn't matter. He should have, and did, make them anywhere.


So, it looks like he might be a little more accurate indoors, but his career long and NFL-tying record kick was outside in Denver.

He should be about the same reliable kicker he's always been.

Re: Kickers
 

Kicking is so hot/cold that it's hard to predict between aging veterans and super-legged youngsters. Because of this, a guy like Morten Andersen at 47 still has teams paying him to kick (although his days are now really numbered, since Atlanta was the one team that kept bringing him back).

Elam has been one of the League's best for the last 15 years, and should continue to do so kicking for the Falcons.

Re: What Does Jason Elam's New Deal Say About Loyalty and Respect for Kickers?
 

I understand the Broncos not wanting to open the piggy bank for him, but this guy connected for 87.1% of his kicks last year (tied for second best of his career), and the year before he connected for 93.1% of his kicks (the best of his career). He also had 4 game winning kicks last year, the most since 1990. He has the most games played in Broncos history, how can they not keep him? He's still valuable.

Re: What Does Jason Elam's New Deal Say About Loyalty and Respect for Kickers?
 

[QUOTE=jsarno;434301]I understand the Broncos not wanting to open the piggy bank for him, but this guy connected for 87.1% of his kicks last year (tied for second best of his career), and the year before he connected for 93.1% of his kicks (the best of his career). He also had 4 game winning kicks last year, the most since 1990. He has the most games played in Broncos history, how can they not keep him? He's still valuable.[/QUOTE]

He's valuable, but he's 38, and unless he stops doing kickoffs to give his leg a rest, he will probably retire and maybe comeback like Morten Anderson does.

Re: What Does Jason Elam's New Deal Say About Loyalty and Respect for Kickers?
 

[QUOTE=SeanTaylor21;434302]He's valuable, but he's 38, and unless he stops doing kickoffs to give his leg a rest, he will probably retire and maybe comeback like Morten Anderson does.[/QUOTE]

Well, he can still kick the long ball. He had a long of 50 last year, and is 2 of 3 from 50 or longer the last 2 years. 38 is nothing in terms of kickers.
This guy is absolute money from 20-39. He hasn't missed a FG from 20-39 since 2003 (minus two blocks). That's 68 for 70. He's also durable, missing only 4 games in his career.

I find your kickoffs comment puzzling though, he has only done 2 kickoffs in the last 5 years. He stopped doing them full time after the 02 season, and hasn't done a single kickoff in 2 years.

Re: What Does Jason Elam's New Deal Say About Loyalty and Respect for Kickers?
 

[QUOTE=jsarno;434304]Well, he can still kick the long ball. He had a long of 50 last year, and is 2 of 3 from 50 or longer the last 2 years. 38 is nothing in terms of kickers.
This guy is absolute money from 20-39. He hasn't missed a FG from 20-39 since 2003 (minus two blocks). That's 68 for 70. He's also durable, missing only 4 games in his career.

I find your kickoffs comment puzzling though, he has only done 2 kickoffs in the last 5 years. He stopped doing them full time after the 02 season, and hasn't done a single kickoff in 2 years.[/QUOTE]

Oh, I thought he was doing every kickoff, my bad.

Re: What Does Jason Elam's New Deal Say About Loyalty and Respect for Kickers?
 

[QUOTE=SeanTaylor21;434305]Oh, I thought he was doing every kickoff, my bad.[/QUOTE]

No sir...I know Saurbraun did them for a while...he had a huge leg.

Re: Kickers
 

[quote=riggins44;434106]The NFL needs a veteran exception rule, to encourage home grown players.

In regard to kickers, it is hard to justify big bucks for an aging guy. You can a good young kicker for a lot less. The money you save could be spent elsewhere. It's rare to find a kicker worth major dollars.

I'm curious to see how Elam does in Atlanta. He will have the advantage of playing in a dome, but not the thinner air of Denver.[/quote]Let us not forget that Atlanta is built up in the Appalachian Mountains, and while it's not as high as Denver, it is the second highest altitude for a stadium in the NFL.

Re: Kickers
 

[QUOTE=GTripp0012;434350]Let us not forget that Atlanta is built up in the Appalachian Mountains, and while it's not as high as Denver, it is the second highest altitude for a stadium in the NFL.[/QUOTE]

Great job with that little known fact...a lot of people don't realize how high Atlanta is. However, you are slightly incorrect. Phoenix is 2nd highest, Atlanta is 3rd. It's not by much, but it's still higher.

The great thing about Elam in Atlanta is he doesn't have to worry about the elements.

Re: Kickers
 

[quote=jsarno;434364]Great job with that little known fact...a lot of people don't realize how high Atlanta is. However, you are slightly incorrect. Phoenix is 2nd highest, Atlanta is 3rd. It's not by much, but it's still higher.

The great thing about Elam in Atlanta is he doesn't have to worry about the elements.[/quote]Fair enough. Perhaps with the new stadium location, it's at a higher altitude and my source (publication) is outdated? Must be pretty darn close.

Re: What Does Jason Elam's New Deal Say About Loyalty and Respect for Kickers?
 

[QUOTE=jsarno;434311]No sir...I know Saurbraun did them for a while...he had a huge leg.[/QUOTE]

Didn't Sauerbran get suspended for using steroids?

Re: Kickers
 

[QUOTE=GTripp0012;434373]Fair enough. Perhaps with the new stadium location, it's at a higher altitude and my source (publication) is outdated? Must be pretty darn close.[/QUOTE]

Well according to wikipedia, Atlanta ranges from 738-1050 ft. in elevation.
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta,_Georgia]Atlanta, Georgia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/url]

According to wikipedia, Phoenix is 1,117 ft in elevation.
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix,_Arizona]Phoenix, Arizona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/url]

Atlanta is actually the highest of any major city east of Denver, which is likely why you thought what you did. You are right that it's not by a wide margin though. So even if the Georgia Dome was at the highest point in Atlanta, it would still be only 1050ft. Doubt it is at it's highest point too...but just saying for arguments sake.

But like I said, most people have no clue Atlanta is that high, especially considering it is fairly close to the ocean. Only travelers with a desire for geography seem to know that. (or people that live, or did live around Atlanta know).

Re: What Does Jason Elam's New Deal Say About Loyalty and Respect for Kickers?
 

[QUOTE=SeanTaylor21;434384]Didn't Sauerbran get suspended for using steroids?[/QUOTE]

Well, not exactly. He took a banned dietary suppliment back in 06 that got him suspended for 4 games. When he played in Carolina, they fined him for being over weight, then he started taking the dietary suppliment to control his weight. No one knows if he knew it was illegal or not. But that's the story. Supposedly it was ephedra. He was linked to a doctor that prescribed steroids and HGH to NFL players, but nothing was proven.
He is currently a free agent if I recall though. Shanahan took him back for 07 and he agreed to stay clean and out of trouble. Well he had a run in with a cabbie in december, and a week later was released. Sauerbrun has a history of alcohol abuse.

Re: What Does Jason Elam's New Deal Say About Loyalty and Respect for Kickers?
 

I found a link to most of the info for Sauerbrun.
[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3149126]ESPN - Broncos punter cited for simple assault outside Denver eatery - NFL[/url]