Crosby is back!

[PackerfaninCarolina]

Crosby is one of the best kickers in the league.

Ask the Bears how nice it is to not worry when your kicker lines up.

Yeah, I mean, I might stop just a tad short of saying elite, but few kickers like Matt Bryant and Adam Vinatieri show up too often.

Risk was far greater had we elected to move on from Mason, and I don't think the critics get this.

 

[adambr2]

I know everyone just absolutely loves Crosby, so I'm not surprised by the reactions. I know I'm in the minority that thinks he's replaceable.

Just don't be mad when Gute tells us we don't have much money to do much other than bring Bulaga back on a short deal and not really address other needs in free agency because we're paying a kicker 6 million dollars this year.

 

[GleefulGary]

I know everyone just absolutely loves Crosby, so I'm not surprised by the reactions. I know I'm in the minority that thinks he's replaceable.

Just don't be mad when Gute tells us we don't have much money to do much other than bring Bulaga back on a short deal and not really address other needs in free agency because we're paying a kicker 6 million dollars this year.

Which kicker that's available right now would you replace him with?

 

[adambr2]

Which kicker that's available right now would you replace him with?

Well if you were going that route to save on cap space, you'd be going with a rookie. So it would be someone like Rodrigo Blankenship.

 

[GleefulGary]

Well if you were going that route to save on cap space, you'd be going with a rookie. So it would be someone like Rodrigo Blankenship.

Could work.

No guarantee you get him.

Could turn out like Aguayo. I remember when he was a "can't miss" kicking prospect. Kickers are weird. Hard to find good ones.

 

[adambr2]

Could work.

No guarantee you get him.

Could turn out like Aguayo. I remember when he was a "can't miss" kicking prospect. Kickers are weird. Hard to find good ones.

That's fair. I think Tampa invested a really high pick in him too, like a 2nd rounder. Then the Steelers pull a guy like Chris Boswell off the street and he ends up being a fine kicker. You never know.

I can't imagine how much of the job is mental, and there's such a fine line for kickers between having a long career and bouncing from one team to another or ending up on the street that your whole livelihood might depend on how patient the organization you ended up with is with you if you have a bad stretch.

 

[lambeaulambo]

boswell is "fine"? I'll take the duke of taverns over him every day

 

[OldSchool101]

I know everyone just absolutely loves Crosby, so I'm not surprised by the reactions. I know I'm in the minority that thinks he's replaceable.

Just don't be mad when Gute tells us we don't have much money to do much other than bring Bulaga back on a short deal and not really address other needs in free agency because we're paying a kicker 6 million dollars this year.

Here’s the thing. We’re supposedly in a short 3-4 year window and coming off a 13-3 season. We currently have a Kicker who is good as of late (showing no sign of decline) and has a stellar track record both in the playoffs and cold weather games specifically.
So it really begs the question. Is this the time to take our chances with a rookie in an attempt to save $?
I don’t think its necessarily a bad thing to review contracts to save $. But we’re talking roughly 3.5mil difference to get a Rook?

So my question is this, Can you show me how we spend that roughly 3.5mil a year elsewhere that will have enough of an impact which will out-way the risks associated with cutting a solid veteran clutch Kicker as we make our push?

I’m not in disagreement with looking at trading off players occasionally. But I think this is poor timing to be gambling on a newbie and cutting the franchises leading scorer.

 

[adambr2]

boswell is "fine"? I'll take the duke of taverns over him every day

Uh, he hit 29 out of 31 field goals in 2019, (93.5%), and 90% from 40-49, and 100% of his extra points, in a stadium that is notoriously difficult to kick in because of winds, and is 87% for his career. You'll be hard pressed getting that kind of production of out most any kicker much less the Duke of taverns.

 

[tynimiller]

3 years, $12.9M. $6M in 2020.

Well, we've been paying top kicker money for an average kicker for the last 8 years. No reason to stop now.

Hate to say it but I wanted to be in the sub $5 million a year range and it is...just front loaded more than I'd like. I'll take.

 

[Mondio]

That's fair. I think Tampa invested a really high pick in him too, like a 2nd rounder. Then the Steelers pull a guy like Chris Boswell off the street and he ends up being a fine kicker. You never know.

I can't imagine how much of the job is mental, and there's such a fine line for kickers between having a long career and bouncing from one team to another or ending up on the street that your whole livelihood might depend on how patient the organization you ended up with is with you if you have a bad stretch.

and the steelers went thru like 5 kickers between 2 seasons 2 trying to find someone Boswell and got death threats for a while. Their kicking game cost them games for a while. and as soon as he bounced back he got one of the biggest kicking contracts at the time.

 

[Stanger37]

maybe a little more money than I would have wished but as most have stated, there is something to having confidence in a guy that you can trust to go out there and kick a FG from 35yds when you need it.

There were a few times this year Nagy went for it on 4th down between the 15-25yd line having no faith in getting points, which just puts more pressure on Nagy and Mitch to call and make play, and kills the confidence in your kicker that you are not even trusted to kick a 30yd or an XP.

I feel like the only people laughing at this are Bear fans who still haven't replaced Gould in 5 years and Lion fans because of the one game disaster he had 2 years ago and seem to quickly forget he hit 2 winners against them this year to win at the last seconds in games the Packers didn't lead all game until then.

 

[XPack]

At par with Gost, Gano and Boswell and slightly higher than Lutz. I think this still fall within the range of 'good deal'. Not cheap, not expensive, but a well made deal. Happy we have him back.

The cost save would not be worth the possibility of drop in quality if we do recruit a rookie. Glad we didn't gamble here.

 

[rmontro]

I've been a fan of Crosby since we drafted him, I've always wanted a #2 jersey. He's had a few off years here and there, but I'm thankful that we've never lost a playoff game because of him. Or if we have, I must have blocked it out lol.

 

[GBkrzygrl]

I'm pretty confident to say "Great News!" with the caveat of course "as long as they didn't absolutely break the bank on him. I am sure it will be top 5 Kicker money or somewhere in that neighborhood.

Let the Mason Crosby debates start all over again......this year I am staying out of them.

I am happy to see him remain with the team. Although he has had some struggles along the way, He's done a great job IMO.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Look at Crosby's numbers in the playoffs, when it counts. Lambeau is a hard place to kick, and McCarthy didn't always put him in ideal spots. Crosby is a top kicker.

Totally agree with you GG. Every year come the calls for Crosby’s head. Totally subjective but I like the guy. And it’s not easy to replace a kicker with his production. The naysayers will again be weighing in. I think it’s a smart move, at a reasonable salary, and Gluten can focus on much more important things, like ILB, WR, TE, and DT/DL - oh and getting Clark extended.

 

[Heyjoe4]

First domino to fall....Will Bulaga be next?

I think Bulaga will stay if he’ll agree to a one year deal at the high end of the pay range. What I fear is that another team will come around with a 3-year deal.

 

[Heyjoe4]

From 2012 til now, he has missed one FG in the playoffs out of 21 attempts. For his career, he's missed 3. Never missed an XP out of 65 attempts.

The man is money when it counts.

That’s the thing. Crosby is a “money” player.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

That’s the thing. Crosby is a “money” player.

Well, you should consider that 85.7% of Crosby's field goal attempts in the playoffs have come from 43 yards or less. The 2016 playoff game at Dallas was the only one he reminded me of a money player.

 

[GleefulGary]

Well, you should consider that 85.7% of Crosby's field goal attempts in the playoffs have come from 43 yards or less. The 2016 playoff game at Dallas was the only one he reminded me of a money player.

Do those stats say anything about the temperature or wind when he was kicking?

Shocking, I know, but those factors do make a difference.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Well, you should consider that 85.7% of Crosby's field goal attempts in the playoffs have come from 43 yards or less. The 2016 playoff game at Dallas was the only one he reminded me of a money player.

He’s still making the kicks. And the Dallas game helps make my point. He had to kick it twice.

I understand your reservations on Crosby. What’s your alternative as it seems clear you’d rather he was not on the team?

 

[Heyjoe4]

Do those stats say anything about the temperature or wind when he was kicking?

Shocking, I know, but those factors do make a difference.

Good example of how statistics can be misleading. As Mark Twain said, there are three kinds of lies - Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics.

And Crosby made that Dallas kick from 51 twice. Anyway I’m outta gas on this. I like Crosby. Others don’t. That’s fine.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Do those stats say anything about the temperature or wind when he was kicking?

Shocking, I know, but those factors do make a difference.

Well, Crosby attempted nine of his 24 field goals in a dome last season. In addition he didn't try a single field goal with winds more than 10 mph. Therefore I highly doubt the weather was a factor at all.

I understand your reservations on Crosby. What’s your alternative as it seems clear you’d rather he was not on the team?

Don't get me wrong, I like Crosby but he's an average kicker at best paid like an elite one. In my opinion the Packers could save some cap space by going with a kicker still on his rookie deal.

 

[swhitset]

Well, Crosby attempted nine of his 24 field goals in a dome last season. In addition he didn't try a single field goal with winds more than 10 mph. Therefore I highly doubt the weather was a factor at all.



Don't get me wrong, I like Crosby but he's an average kicker at best paid like an elite one. In my opinion the Packers could save some cap space by going with a kicker still on his rookie deal.

While it’s true that the Packers could save some money with a kicker on a rookie contract, I just don’t think we are talking about enough money to be worth that risk... average kicker or not.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

While it’s true that the Packers could save some money with a kicker on a rookie contract, I just don’t think we are talking about enough money to be worth that risk... average kicker or not.

It seems Gutekunst and a lot of other fans agree with you on it. I just don't see the need on spending several millions a season on a kicker.