Rams’ approach to new kicker seems much wiser than NFC West foe 49ers

[ROD-BOT]

Rams’ approach to new kicker seems much wiser than NFC West foe 49ers’

Do NFL rule changes create a sense of regret for San Francisco?

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Rams’ approach to new kicker seems much wiser than NFC West foe 49ers’​

Both the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers were in the market for new kickers ahead of the 2023 season, but the teams diverged in the approach they took during the NFL Draft.

The 49ers, already with limited draft capital after their aggressive trade up for Trey Lance in 2021 and after acquiring RB Christian McCaffrey mid-season last year, spent a third round draft pick on Michigan’s Jake Moody. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in Moody’s scouting report that the young kicker is reliable within 40-yards but struggles with consistency from long range. Zierlein also noted that Moody is adept at kickoffs, though recent NFL rule changes should significantly devalue that skillset at the position. On a one-year trial basis, any fair catch on a kickoff would spot the ball on the 25-yard line similar to a touchback. The NFL cites player safety as the driving force behind the change.

If San Francisco selected Moody as high as the third round in part because of his kickoff abilities, there’s a good chance they are facing a sense of regret heading into training camp. The 49ers used the 99th overall selection on their new specialist. At picks #77 and #89 Los Angeles chose EDGE Byron Young and iDL Kobie Turner, and both should carve out roles as LA embraces the youth movement on defense. While a top-100 selection would play meaningful snaps on LA’s need-laden roster, it’d much tougher for young players to break through San Francisco’s depth chart.

The Rams took a much different approach to filling their kicking void left by Matt Gay’s free agency departure to the Indianapolis Colts: Los Angeles signed two priority undrafted free agents, NC State’s Christopher Dunn and Oklahoma State’s Tanner Brown, and will hold a competition over the preseason. LA has found mixed success through the draft at kicker. In 2012 they drafted Greg Zurlein of Missouri Western in the sixth round who made a big-time kick in 2018 en route to a Super Bowl, but their seventh round selection in 2020—Sam Sloman—struggled out of the gate and was cut mid-season.

Time will tell if the 49ers’ decision to spend premium draft capital on a kicker will prove fruitful, and all eyes will be on the Rams’ training camp competition to see if either Dunn or Brown emerge as a competent replacement for Gay. The careers of these kickers will be closely tied together, and these outcomes could shape the fate of the NFC West over the next few seasons.

 

[Londoner]

One thing I've often wondered: if you had the hypothetical perfect kicker, guaranteed to get 3 points from anywhere on the field, where would he be drafted?

 

[den-the-coach]

One thing I've often wondered: if you had the hypothetical perfect kicker, guaranteed to get 3 points from anywhere on the field, where would he be drafted?

Well, If if was a fifth then we'd all be drunk, but 4th round IMHO for that answer because you should not be settling for 3 points.

I like Jake Moody and if he is an all pro nobody will care, but the Rams needed skill players and I very much like their approach they took under new Special Teams Coordinator Chase Blackburn. Again, FWIW, Moody was the best kicker by far in this class IMHO.

 

[dang]

Justin Tucker is the closest thing to a perfect kicker I’ve ever seen and he was an UDFA. It looks like selecting a kicker in the 6th round or later is common practice. I believe Zuerlien was picked in the 6th.

 

[Turducken]

One thing I've often wondered: if you had the hypothetical perfect kicker, guaranteed to get 3 points from anywhere on the field, where would he be drafted?

"Anywhere on the field" like from your 5 yard line? Anyone perfectly hitting 113 yard field goals would be the first pick overall. He world be paid like a franchise QB.

In 2021 the NFL average points per possession was 2.04. For the best offense (KC) the average was 2.7 points.

With an automatic-from-anywhere kicker, a team's floor would be around three points per possession. If it was an average offense, it would hit four (doubling the league average).

It would make the game weird. Opponents of that team would always go on fourth down and always try onsides kicks (why not?).

 

[AZRams]

"Anywhere on the field" like from your 5 yard line? Anyone perfectly hitting 113 yard field goals would be the first pick overall. He world be paid like a franchise QB.

In 2021 the NFL average points per possession was 2.04. For the best offense (KC) the average was 2.7 points.

With an automatic-from-anywhere kicker, a team's floor would be around three points per possession. If it was an average offense, it would hit four (doubling the league average).

It would make the game weird. Opponents of that team would always go on fourth down and always try onsides kicks (why not?).

Maybe I didn't get enough sleep but I could not stop laughing at this...who wouldn't pay to watch 113 yd FGs?

 

[Merlin]

You just never know with Kickers. They're fuckin weird.

 

[fanotodd]

1) this is pure conjecture, capitalizing on the fact that this is a down time and we are diehards and need something to talk about! Lol.
2) anything under 40 yards should be a gimmee with a rare miss. Anything over 50 can not be “expected”, but the best kickers make more than they miss. The $$ is between the 40 and 50 yard kicks. THAT is what defines legit NFL kickers who have long careers in this league.
3) If both kickers satisfy #2, then it really doesn’t matter—both teams got it right. If neither kicker works out, then the 9ers blew it.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Eh, the Niners could afford to throw away the pick. They’ve got a very complete roster. Snead threw away almost an entire draft class in 2021. Nobody gave him much crap about it.

 

[Ram65]

Seems worth the pick of a late 3rd rounder for the Whiners.

Hope the Rams made/make the right choices. They can save much need cap space.

 

[gogoat1]

Letting Gay go was a mistake

 

[Memento]

Eh, the Niners could afford to throw away the pick. They’ve got a very complete roster. Snead threw away almost an entire draft class in 2021. Nobody gave him much crap about it.

Threw away a lot, but if Bruss and Durant reach their potential and Yeast, Lake, Hardy, and K-Will step up, it could still be a pivotal draft class.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Threw away a lot, but if Bruss and Durant reach their potential and Yeast, Lake, Hardy, and K-Will step up, it could still be a pivotal draft class.

Wasn’t that the 2022 class? I was referring to using a second on Atwell and a foutth on Harris, etc…

 

[den-the-coach]

Letting Gay go was a mistake

He is now the highest paid kicker in the NFL, the Rams simply did not have the cap room to pay him.

 

[Ram65]

Matt Gay Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap

Matt Gay contract and salary cap details, including signing bonus, guaranteed salary, dead money, roster bonuses, and contract history

overthecap.com

 

[Corbin]

Well, If if was a fifth then we'd all be drunk, but 4th round IMHO for that answer because you should not be settling for 3 points.

I like Jake Moody and if he is an all pro nobody will care, but the Rams needed skill players and I very much like their approach they took under new Special Teams Coordinator Chase Blackburn. Again, FWIW, Moody was the best kicker by far in this class IMHO.

Exactly! It wasn’t even close, although there are some other good ones in this class. Moody was head and shoulders above the rest.

People laughing at them picking a player that probably will finish in the top 3 in points in franchise history isn’t a reach, and will win them big games.

When us as Rams fans are hoping for a miss come a 49ers-Rams game I know the outcome of that already.

That was a good pick for a loaded team. Maybe a round too high but they didn’t want to risk it.

Eh, the Niners could afford to throw away the pick. They’ve got a very complete roster. Snead threw away almost an entire draft class in 2021. Nobody gave him much crap about it.

Bingo. Thread winner right here!

 

[dang]

Seems worth the pick of a late 3rd rounder for the Whiners.

Hope the Rams made/make the right choices. They can save much need cap space.

Maybe the 69ers felt the same away about Gould as the Rams/Rams fans did. While he was a decent K he was a Class A prick.

 

[Memento]

Wasn’t that the 2022 class? I was referring to using a second on Atwell and a foutth on Harris, etc…

And a third on Ernest Jones, two fourths on Bobby Brown III and Robert Rochell, and a seventh on Skowronek.

I don’t think that’s a wasted draft either.

 

[gogoat1]

He is now the highest paid kicker in the NFL, the Rams simply did not have the cap room to pay him.

I get it, but we are the LA FREAKING RAMS !! We should be able to keep any kicker we want. Have the best stadium in the NFL and one of the richest owners in the NFL. That means keep your best in the NFL kicker. That guy was money and better than GZ.
We had the highest paid punter in the NFL for years and no one complained about that and we had a crappy team back then.
I am kinda ticked at the Rams right now anyway. I like constant winning-playoff runs vs a sellout and win it all, then suck.
Time will tell with that take.
But you could see it coming. Decisions like giving up a top 3 corner back for a ham sandwich that you overpaid for in the first place tells me they sold out.
And sell outs are always bad in real life.

 

[den-the-coach]

I am kinda ticked at the Rams right now anyway. I like constant winning-playoff runs vs a sellout and win it all, then suck.
Time will tell with that take.
But you could see it coming. Decisions like giving up a top 3 corner back for a ham sandwich that you overpaid for in the first place tells me they sold out.
And sell outs are always bad in real life.

i get it, but the Rams had a great run back in the 70's and never even got to the big dance so I am glad they won and now, it is time to retool and build it back up.