Mason Crosby: Keep or Good Bye?

[weeds]

A wasted 3rd rounder to be sure...he kicked in preseason ... and wasn't good. Point is, Jacke wasn't bad in 96, wasn't re-signed, Conway was drafted...fortunately, Wolf stumbled onto Longwell after the 9'ers missed on him. Still, Crosby, aside from '12, has been money - PLUS - nobody is going to be able the uprights with the velocity and tone that Crosby does.

 

[TJV]

As Packers Notes’ Rodney writes in his most recent post, I don’t think there’s much question Crosby will sign a new contract with the Packers soon. He also writes it will be a mistake to pay him more than $3M/year and I agree.

(W)hile Crosby has been very good the past three seasons, he’s been far from special. In fact, a dozen kickers have connected on a higher percentage of field goals since 2013. Add in his pedestrian kickoffs and penchant for missing potential game-winners in the regular season and you have a player who more closely resembles journeymen Connor Barth ($1.3M) and Dan Carpenter ($2M) than he does All-Pros Justin Tucker ($4.5M) and Stephen Gostkowski ($4.3M), the league’s highest-paid specialists as of this morning.

He also notes that PKs who convert 85% of their FGs are common and while there would be uncertainty about his replacement if they didn’t keep him, he points to the Steelers “who after losing two kickers to injuries, signed Chris Boswell off the street in October. All the rookie did was hit 29 of 32, including a game-winner in the playoffs.” The point isn't that Crosby is terrible, but that he's not an elite PK and shouldn't be overpaid.
http://packersnotes.com/2016/02/crosby-not-worth-big-bucks/

 

[adambr2]

As Packers Notes’ Rodney writes in his most recent post, I don’t think there’s much question Crosby will sign a new contract with the Packers soon. He also writes it will be a mistake to pay him more than $3M/year and I agree. He also notes that PKs who convert 85% of their FGs are common and while there would be uncertainty about his replacement if they didn’t keep him, he points to the Steelers “who after losing two kickers to injuries, signed Chris Boswell off the street in October. All the rookie did was hit 29 of 32, including a game-winner in the playoffs.” The point isn't that Crosby is terrible, but that he's not an elite PK and shouldn't be overpaid.
http://packersnotes.com/2016/02/crosby-not-worth-big-bucks/

This. Crosby is just a guy. He seems to have a reputation among many of us as elite, but he's just not. The stats don't lie.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

He also writes it will be a mistake to pay him more than $3M/year and I agree. The point isn't that Crosby is terrible, but that he's not an elite PK and shouldn't be overpaid.

Absolutely agree the Packers shouldn't overpay for Crosby. IMO giving him $3 million per season would easily qualify as doing it though.

 

[Mondio]

This. Crosby is just a guy. He seems to have a reputation among many of us as elite, but he's just not. The stats don't lie.

I'm not advocating 6 million a year for the guy, but to have someone like Crosby is certainly worth 3 million a year. He's not "elite", but he's pretty dependable. Even just from PAT standpoint. IMO, a PAT is what kept the Patriots out of the Superbowl and let Denver in.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I'm not advocating 6 million a year for the guy, but to have someone like Crosby is certainly worth 3 million a year. He's not "elite", but he's pretty dependable. Even just from PAT standpoint. IMO, a PAT is what kept the Patriots out of the Superbowl and let Denver in.

Yeah, and it happened to the highest paid kicker in the league who hadn't missed an extra point all season. Paying an experienced kicker doesn't guarantee anything.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Just like every position, we can find cheaper players then Crosby. It would be awesome to find a rookie UDFA and save $2.5M to use elsewhere. My only fear with that, how much does a lost game or two due to a nervous rookie cost us at the end of the year? Sure, no kicker is 100% automatic on any kick, but I would be a lot more confident seeing Crosby trotting onto the field for the game winner then most other kickers.

Currently there are 11 kickers making $3M or more per year......my guess is that is close to where Crosby and his agent will be settling for.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Just like every position, we can find cheaper players then Crosby. It would be awesome to find a rookie UDFA and save $2.5M to use elsewhere. My only fear with that, how much does a lost game or two due to a nervous rookie cost us at the end of the year? Sure, no kicker is 100% automatic on any kick, but I would be a lot more confident seeing Crosby trotting onto the field for the game winner then most other kickers.

Currently there are 11 kickers making $3M or more per year......my guess is that is close to where Crosby and his agent will be settling for.

The performance of rookie kickers has been way improved over the last few season as well. For example, last season three (all undrafted) out of seven rookie kickers had a higer FG percentage than Crosby.

Once again, I'd rather save the cap space and bring in a rookie kicker.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

For example, last season three (all undrafted) out of seven rookie kickers had a higer FG percentage than Crosby.

Yup, its those other 4 that concern me.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Yup, its those other 4 that concern me.

Two of them made over 80% of their FGs as well with only Hocker and especially Brindza struggling mightily.

 

[Wynnebeck]

Apparently rumor is that Packers are going to let Crosby swim in the FA pool and see what happens. Crossing my fingers that he doesn't get any offers and comes back to Packers for a mid-sized deal that will benefit all parties.

 

[PackerBacker12]

you gotta keep him

 

[Wynnebeck]

you gotta keep him

Why? He's decent, but he's no Vinatieri or Gostkowski.

 

[PackerBacker12]

he finishes every time he has the chance why risk this

 

[Half Empty]

What does it mean to finish every time?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

What does it mean to finish every time?

Ask your better half

 

[Poppa San]

And since we was signed we'll end this on that note. There is a new thread.