Should the Rams be working on an extension for Zuerlein?

[CGI_Ram]

The salary cap is sort of fluid right now, but it's safe to say the Rams have in the neighbourhood of $9-10MM.

Popular opinion is the Rams are looking for veteran help along the offensive line, Justin Blaylock, etc.

Perhaps, we are saving some room for a June cut or help to patch a hole due to injury?

Or maybe we need to be thinking about one less FA in 2016 and lock up GZ?

Greg The Leg has demonstrated plenty of power yet also stretches of inconsistency. Still, he's proven to be an NFL quality kicker, and at 27, just ready to enter his prime years. Because he's been less than dominant, maybe it's a win-win opportunity?

So I say, If we have a little cap space, let's get GZ locked in and avoid the frustrating merry go round of trying to find a new kicker... And one less FA in 2016.

 

[Rams43]

I wouldn't lose sleep if they extended GZ this offseason.

But I would prefer to wait. Let him show us a solid steady season. Emphasis steady.

I don't anticipate that he will be a difficult signing if we wait, anyway.

And frankly, while I do like GZ, it's not as if kickers are irreplaceable. There will be several new options coming out every year.

Hekker is a stud. Best in the business, actually. That's why he was extended last year.

GZ, not so much... Lots of peaks and valleys.

 

[LesBaker]

I wouldn't lose sleep if they extended GZ this offseason.

But I would prefer to wait. Let him show us a solid steady season. Emphasis steady.

I don't anticipate that he will be a difficult signing if we wait, anyway.

And frankly, while I do like GZ, it's not as if kickers are irreplaceable. There will be several new options coming out every year.

Hekker is a stud. Best in the business, actually. That's why he was extended last year.

GZ, not so much... Lots of peaks and valleys.

There may be options but not ones like GZ. His range makes him important and this team needs that. Lots of games are decided at the end by kickers and how many teams can even consider going for it at 58 or more yards? How many kickers have a shot at a 60 yard FG? It's a very short list. I can live with his average (or so people say) accuracy because he can (and has) win games by putting up points that otherwise wouldn't be on the board.

This is a vid Mac took at a game he and I went to a few years back.

This is why you want him, look where the TB kicker is kicking from..........

 

[Mackeyser]

He's a young kicker with tremendous distance and other than a bad bout of the yips (most of his misses came very close together meaning he had some kind of issue to address), he's been extraordinary.

He won't have the same percentage as guys like Vinatieri because rarely are they trotted out for long tries whereas GZ made a 58 and 6o in the same game! Not many coaches will even try attempts like that let alone as often as Fish will.

Plus, those long FGs are a real dagger in the heart of the opponent late in the game, sort of like when the 3pt shot was first introduced in the NBA. 20 seconds of good D only to see a pass sail out to someone open and have them drain a shot "from downtown" as Marv Albert used to say.

Good FG kickers worry opposing coaches WAAAY more than us fans ever dream of. GZ is on the cusp of being one of those nightmare FG kickers for opponents so locking him up now on the cheap seems like Moneyball to me.

 

[Angry Ram]

Wasn't he sick at one point last year, that's when the misses were happening?

Like I remember one time Jeff Fisher said he didnt even practice kicking before the game.

 

[bwdenverram]

His inconsistency has been troublesome at times. But you just can't find kickers with that kind of distance. If he can learn to straighten himself a tad he becomes invaluable. Just like the TB video in this thread, I was at the Denver preseason games a while back and he was spotting it at the 50 yard line (60 yard field goal). And I swear the ball was at the top of the goalpost going thru.

Just sick.

 

[Akrasian]

With the changes in PAT rules, they probably want to see how that plays out before deciding what to do. I don't anticipate there being issues, but it may greatly change the value of some kickers.

 

[jap]

You don't release Greg the Turbo Leg---you simply oil and fine tune that bionic leg.

 

[den-the-coach]

Last year I was lambasted for knocking Zuerlein for his lack of consistency and some of his issues kicking outside. Love his leg, but at times he seems aloof and not zoned in.

If he can prove to be more consistent then I'm fine with an extension, however, he needs to proved to me he can knock that 38 yard field goal every time.

I realize it's nice having a kicker with the leg to hit from 65 yards, but it means nothing if you can't make the easy ones and I would also like to see more kicks out of the end zone. Again he seems to struggle when he's outside kicking the ball out of the end zone.

 

[Big Willie]

With so many potential FAs on this team in 2016, GZ is the least of our worries. If Foles lights it up early, we will need a bunch of money to cover him. What happens if Fairly meets his expectations too? Then you have JJ, Barron, Tru, and Quick up in 2016. That's a lot of guys, and while I don't expect all of them to be back, some of them will.

 

[CGI_Ram]

With so many potential FAs on this team in 2016, GZ is the least of our worries. If Foles lights it up early, we will need a bunch of money to cover him. What happens if Fairly meets his expectations too? Then you have JJ, Barron, Tru, and Quick up in 2016. That's a lot of guys, and while I don't expect all of them to be back, some of them will.

Ouch. Thanks for the reminder. Lots of good players need contracts next year.

 

[Rams43]

With so many potential FAs on this team in 2016, GZ is the least of our worries. If Foles lights it up early, we will need a bunch of money to cover him. What happens if Fairly meets his expectations too? Then you have JJ, Barron, Tru, and Quick up in 2016. That's a lot of guys, and while I don't expect all of them to be back, some of them will.

I agree, Willie.

GZ seems to be among the least of our problems. Certainly not in the top 10, anyway.

And then there's this...

I suspect that our improved O will lessen the need for such humongous FG attempts. Both in terms of converting more possessions to TD's AND better field position when GZ does need to make his attempt.

 

[Big Willie]

I agree, Willie.

GZ seems to be among the least of our problems. Certainly not in the top 10, anyway.

And then there's this...

I suspect that our improved O will lessen the need for such humongous FG attempts. Both in terms of converting more possessions to TD's AND better field position when GZ does need to make his attempt.

Yup. More touchdowns are good!

 

[…..]

Last year I was lambasted for knocking Zuerlein for his lack of consistency and some of his issues kicking outside. Love his leg, but at times he seems aloof and not zoned in.

If he can prove to be more consistent then I'm fine with an extension, however, he needs to proved to me he can knock that 38 yard field goal every time.

I realize it's nice having a kicker with the leg to hit from 65 yards, but it means nothing if you can't make the easy ones and I would also like to see more kicks out of the end zone. Again he seems to struggle when he's outside kicking the ball out of the end zone.

I couldnt agree more. I like the kid but and his cannon leg....but lets see if another year of maturity cures his ills before we throw alot of money his way.

I'm wary because of one man, Steve Sax. Steve Sax was a great Dodger 2nd baseman in the 80's who suddenly and incomprehensibly forgot how to make the short throw to 1st base for an easy put out. I know there are plenty of members here beside me who remember him pretty clearly. Sax was a great hitter, hit for average not power, very althetic, decent range. Yet his head got all fk'd up on the simple throws... and the throwing problem ended what was destined to be a HOF career in my opinion.


Okay okay.....Gregs problems arent that dramatic. At least lets hope not!

 

[Memphis Ram]

Methinks the Rams should be working on finding competition for him.

 

[OldSchool]

I've been a big fan of GZ from day 1. As somebody else said the kickoffs aren't an issue that's Fishers strategy, he wants people to have to return the ball and to be returning it from the sides of the playing field.

As for his FG's 9 of his misses in his career are from 50+ and several of those 9 were very long like 58+. If you take out his 50+ attempts he's a 91% kicker. Heck you look at a guy like Gostkowski and do the same for him he's 3% lower. I really think given the chance he will rebound and be able to keep his distance, a distance that only a couple kickers in the NFL can match. That said there are a ton of free agents in 2016 that this FO is going to have to address.

Eugene Sims
Mark Barron
William Hayes
Brian Quick
Nick Fairley
Janoris Jenkins
Isaiah Pead
Trumaine Johnson
Nick Foles
Chris Givens
Rodney McLeod
Greg Zuerlein
JoLonn Dunbar
Cory Harkey
Austin Davis
Benny Cunningham
Case Keenum
Chase Reynolds

Now I count 6 starters(Quick, Jenkins, Johnson, Foles, McLeod and GZ) and 8 regular big contributors(Sims, Barron, Hayes, Fairley, Dunbar, Harkey, Benny and Chase) yes I'm assuming Ayers starts over Dunbar but he still contributes. As of right now with the contracts currently signed the Rams will have $36 million to sign people with. This front office is going to have to fit those 14 starters/regulars into that money or draft rookies to replace them next year. GM would be a dream job for a lot of us but it's going to come with a king size cap headache next year.

 

[RamzFanz]

There may be options but not ones like GZ. His range makes him important and this team needs that. Lots of games are decided at the end by kickers and how many teams can even consider going for it at 58 or more yards? How many kickers have a shot at a 60 yard FG? It's a very short list. I can live with his average (or so people say) accuracy because he can (and has) win games by putting up points that otherwise wouldn't be on the board.

This is a vid Mac took at a game he and I went to a few years back.

This is why you want him, look where the TB kicker is kicking from..........

He's also lost games. Love the dude, but that's true.

I would lock him up while he's cheap and...[gasp]...carry a second kicker for anything 45 and under. Seriously. A shorter field super accurate kicker along with GZ for the monster kicks and kickoffs would be golden.

When he failed at long kicks, it's been when he was asked to do a LOT of field goals. Let him chill and go for the monster kicks.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Should the Rams be working on an extension for Zuerlein?

YES!
They should be working hard to extend his accuracy from beyond the 30 yd line

JK before I get balsted. I love the kid he has had some untimely misses but he is a weapon.