Rams sign Greg Zuerlein to 3 year deal

[Snaz]

Wasn't he 17 of 17 starting as a Rookie. Above average under 50 yards. I'd have to look it up but at one time it was 80% at 35 yards for league average. One down year, but statistically one of the most accurate and probably the strongest leg. Would like to see him set the record one day. Good signing at a decent price.

 

[Adi]

LT - check
WR - check
CB - check
C - check
Re-sign Greg the Leg - check
Re-sign Bennie - ?
Trade TruJo - ?

Great job so far McSnead, let's keep this progress rolling ...

They have alrrady filled almost every need this off-season, pumped to see what they do in the draft

 

[Riverumbbq]

They have alrrady filled almost every need this off-season, pumped to see what they do in the draft

Almost, ... but hoping they aren't done yet.

 

[Memento]

Awesome! GZ was great for us last year, and deserved to be re-signed. Now for Cunningham.

 

[Merlin]

GZ has been an enormous disappointment simply because I had such high hopes for him. Last year was better than two years ago when I wanted to strangle the dude, but still I see kicker as a position where bringing in that UDFA or using a late round pick when value is there to be wise.

Not a fan, basically. But hopefully he'll have a great year and shut me up.

EDIT: for pure entertainment purposes Rams should bring a YoungHoe in for a look!

 

[yrba1]

Nice, hopefully he'll be kicking more PATs than 40+ yd FG attempts under a real offense.

 

[jrry32]

Good. I like Greg.

 

[Florida_Ram]

Thank god. I was worried I would have to get a new profile.

No doubt @Legatron4..... you were the first person I thought of when the news was announced today.

Had the Rams decided against resigning our kicker, I imagine .......

your new Profile Avatar would have looked something like this

_________

 

[Legatron4]

No doubt @Legatron4..... you were the first person I thought of when the news was announced today.

Had the Rams decided against resigning our kicker, I imagine .......

your new Profile Avatar would have looked something like this

_________

Lmao I might use this anyway

 

[Ram65]

GZ has been an enormous disappointment simply because I had such high hopes for him. Last year was better than two years ago when I wanted to strangle the dude, but still I see kicker as a position where bringing in that UDFA or using a late round pick when value is there to be wise.

Not a fan, basically. But hopefully he'll have a great year and shut me up.

EDIT: for pure entertainment purposes Rams should bring a YoungHoe in for a look!

He makes me nervous although, he did rebound last year. I hope he keeps improving and doesn't regress. He seems to be getting good height on his kickoffs. I guess a bird in the hand is better than two the bush.

 

[tempests]

He rebounded nicely last year, and earned that contract.

Disclaimer: I'm not looking to stir up an old argument, but as one who was involved in multiple discussions on this in the past, I feel it needs to be said.

Those of us who were hard on Greg in the past were not pushing a "clueless, obnoxious narrative". Believe it or not, since Greg entered the league, the NFL average on kicks beyond 50 yards is 62%, and the league average on kicks below 50 yards is 89%.

Viewed on their own, Greg's numbers look pretty good but compared to the rest of the NFL, less exceptional. The kicker of many nicknames had a rep that exceeded his performance. Noteworthy were his 2014-15 seasons, where his accuracy on kicks below 50 yards declined to 83 and 81%, both below the league average of 88% at the time.
As I say, he recovered nicely in 2016, more resembling his 2012-13 self.

Most people would take average at the kicker position, and so would I. Zuerlein was consistent and reliable last year, and we need more of the same.

 

[LesBaker]

His field goal percentage is 89% under 50 yards. The guy is very good with normal field goals. Jeff Fisher just always wanted to test out "the leg" because we were so desperate to put points on the board. I trust GZ with any field goals under 50. Plus, he gives the chance at a desperation kick if ever needed from over 55.

Over 50 he's a 50/50 kicker. I'm guessing that's above average considering a lot of his tries were over 55 even.

Good signing.

I think he has tried about a dozen at or over 60 yards in his career.

Only time GZ will be utilized this time is for kickoffs and extra points after TD's.

Steezy with the cheerlead!! I like it!!!

The narrative against Greg is one of the most clueless and obnoxious I've seen in a while. Leave it to me to get fired up about an unfairly maligned kicker...

Ha I feel the same way I hate when people beat on him, I feel protective. :icare:

This made my day. Take out 2015 which was an issue for him both in how he was used and he had some technical issues that he's since fixed and he's right up there with the best of them with a chance to kick a record setting kick.

He's got the right ST coach and now doesn't have to worry about the Fisher nonsense....

I wonder if the vid of you and I watching him kick pre-game in Tampa is still on YouTube. That shit was impressive.

Good. I like Greg.

Jrry he speaks very highly of you too. :neener:

 

[den-the-coach]

C - check

Rams have written the check, however, it takes five days to clear.

 

[ramfan46]

I still believe he can and will crush a 65+ yard FG some day. I hope McVay is much more aggressive at the end of the 1st half. I consider GZ a weapon with his range. He's also great at popping up Kickoffs to pin KR's deep for Special Team coverage. He's shaky over 50, but most are to be honest. His flaws make him cheap, I like it.

 

[jap]

He needs to set the FG distance record as a Horn. I mean, we actually drafted this guy while Johnny was an UDFA. Let's blast that 70-yarder already.

 

[EasyE]

He needs to set the FG distance record as a Horn. I mean, we actually drafted this guy while Johnny was an UDFA. Let's blast that 70-yarder already.

I have been waiting on the record also....Fish always played the field position game...unless it was a halftime shot....even then we would take a knee rather than attempt a long one..

His time is now!...

 

[Debacled]

He rebounded nicely last year, and earned that contract.

Disclaimer: I'm not looking to stir up an old argument, but as one who was involved in multiple discussions on this in the past, I feel it needs to be said.

Those of us who were hard on Greg in the past were not pushing a "clueless, obnoxious narrative". Believe it or not, since Greg entered the league, the NFL average on kicks beyond 50 yards is 62%, and the league average on kicks below 50 yards is 89%.

Viewed on their own, Greg's numbers look pretty good but compared to the rest of the NFL, less exceptional. The kicker of many nicknames had a rep that exceeded his performance. Noteworthy were his 2014-15 seasons, where his accuracy on kicks below 50 yards declined to 83 and 81%, both below the league average of 88% at the time.
As I say, he recovered nicely in 2016, more resembling his 2012-13 self.

Most people would take average at the kicker position, and so would I. Zuerlein was consistent and reliable last year, and we need more of the same.

Gotta dig a little deeper than that. People love to harp on the 2015 season especially. I've highlighted this, but something like 7/10 misses that year were blocked or from 55+. Believe he had 4 blocked that year; made for very skewed numbers (not to mention that ridiculous Baltimore game with the wicked wind where FGs weren't happening at all going one direction).

He isn't a low ball kicker either, the team had issues blocking on the edge on kicks and it was addressed this past season.

His leg strength is special. Even if he were as scattershot as people make him out to be, the power he has is more than just uncommon.

 

[tempests]

Gotta dig a little deeper than that.

I went though five years of NFL data and added up all the FG attempts individually to find the percentages of kicks below 50 yards and above. There's no website I could find that offers that information. It's not a skin deep analysis, I put effort into finding those numbers. That way, I wouldn't have to guess whether Zuerlein is above average accuracy, I could know for sure.

I'll just say this. You can't brag about this guy's exceptional leg strength in one hand and then bemoan the team marching him out there to try the long ones in the other. It'd be one thing if he didn't have the range or accuracy to make those kicks. But every scouting report I ever read about him says that he does.

If he wasn't nailing those 60+ yarders in pregame they wouldn't be trying it during the game at all.

 

[jrry32]

I went though five years of NFL data and added up all the FG attempts individually to find the percentages of kicks below 50 yards and above. There's no website I could find that offers that information. It's not a skin deep analysis, I put effort into finding those numbers. That way, I wouldn't have to guess whether Zuerlein is above average accuracy, I could know for sure.

I'll just say this. You can't brag about this guy's exceptional leg strength in one hand and then bemoan the team marching him out there to try the long ones in the other. It'd be one thing if he didn't have the range or accuracy to make those kicks. But every scouting report I ever read about him says that he does.

If he wasn't nailing those 60+ yarders in pregame they wouldn't be trying it during the game at all.

Over the last 5 years (since Greg entered the NFL), only six kickers have hit a 60+ yard FG. Greg is the only kicker in the NFL to make more than one. Greg also leads the NFL with five attempts from 60+ yards. No other kicker has more than two attempts. Basically, Greg's leg strength is extraordinary. His accuracy is right around average. Although, there's a strong argument that it would be better than average with a coach who didn't insist on destroying his confidence.