Chiefs sign former Bills Punter Matt Araiza

[wazu]

A big development in KC: Chiefs are signing former Bills punter Matt Araiza, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 22, 2024

[smithandrew051]

Imagine being this dude.

Incredible college career leads you to making it to the NFL. Picked up by a good team.

False accusation comes out against you. You maintain your innocence.

Your team gets rid of you anyway to avoid the negative press. Your career looks like it might be over.

Your innocence is proven. You get a second chance.

Which team calls? Defending back to back Champs who are despised by that team that didn’t stand by you.

I bet signing that deal with the Chiefs was the easiest decision of his life.

[Straight, No Chaser]

Hope he shows up with a mullet. Fit right in at Camarohead

[wazu]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Imagine being this dude.

Incredible college career leads you to making it to the NFL. Picked up by a good team.

False accusation comes out against you. You maintain your innocence.

Your team gets rid of you anyway to avoid the negative press. Your career looks like it might be over.

Your innocence is proven. You get a second chance.

Which team calls? Defending back to back Champs who are despised by that team that didn’t stand by you.

I bet signing that deal with the Chiefs was the easiest decision of his life.

If Buffalo gets a stop he might kick it out of the stadium.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by ChiefsHawk

So you want to be in the same situation SF was in the super bowl and risk a missed PAT? You pay kickers, not punters.

Promise that if KC doesn’t pay Butker another team will. SF might have had a blocked PAT, but their kicker also nailed two 50+ yard FGs in that game. Take them out as KC wins comfortably.

[ThyKingdomCome15]

I'm telling you man. Veach finds your replacement before he makes his final offer. The moment you decline you're history, it's over. This is with exception to all time great players.

[T-post Tom]

Jets worked Araiza out last May but didn't sign him. More confirmation that the Chiefs made the right move.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by ThyKingdomCome15

I'm telling you man. Veach finds your replacement before he makes his final offer. The moment you decline you're history, it's over. This is with exception to all time great players.

Yeah - Veach has taken a little heat for letting guys get to FA from some corners. And maybe not without cause (though I still think we'd have gotten a Sneed extension done if Jones had not ****ed around).

But by and large I think he simply takes his best shot and if it's not good enough, he moves on. The cap makes teams be pretty cutthroat about most things. I don't think he harbors grudges or anything, but he can't slit is own throat begging you to come back.

We tried, it failed, next man up. The best example of that thus far has been the Mathieu/Reid thing but there have been others as well such as Morse (I suspect Danna will soon fall in that group).

The cap is an unforgiving mistress and the math is what the math is.

[Wisconsin_Chief]

Originally Posted by ThyKingdomCome15

I'm telling you man. Veach finds your replacement before he makes his final offer. The moment you decline you're history, it's over. This is with exception to all time great players.

Tommy's career was over here the second he hired Drew Rosenhaus. I would imagine Veach called this dude's agent the second he found out about that.

[Dante84]

I think we also have a pretty significant blindspot, being on the outside, when thinking through FA decisions. We simply know if they're good or not, and what we think their value is.

There's all sorts of shit we don't have a clue about:

• Injury forecasting from Rick's team (based on medical review, is this person likely to have an significant injury during the life of this next contract?)
• How the player wants to be paid (UP FRONT, HOMIE!)
• If their agent is a piece of shit that is going to make their life a living hell (Rosenhaus)
• How the player gets along with folks inside the building, his teammates, etc..
• If he's a security risk (Lots of baby mama drama, shady friends, weird habits)

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by notorious

Raiders have already contacted him.

Well, we already have the best punter in the league.

[wazu]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief

Tommy's career was over here the second he hired Drew Rosenhaus. I would imagine Veach called this dude's agent the second he found out about that.

I'm not sure if Rosenhaus is the answer, but punter is one position where I think you gotta get every penny you can. When we talk about guys like Chris Jones needing $32M and can't accept $28M I kinda roll my eyes. What is the tangible difference? But with a punter where the position tops out at $4M the percentage difference could really be huge. Hope he gets a big payday. Elsewhere.

[Hoover]

I was all about letting Tommy walk and drafting that kid from Iowa, but hell this is actually better because he can he will be part of the entire of season with the team.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by MarkDavis'Haircut

Well, we already have the best punter in the league.

True story.

AJ Cole is the only guy in the league right now who I view as a truly consistently great punter. Ryan Stonehouse is probably closing in on that territory though he only has a 2 year track record (and, unlike Townsend, has been great since he came into the league).

Stonehouse is about >< far from being a true monster there, though. You know what it means when a guy has the best 'inside the 20' rate and worst 'touchback' rate in football? That he's just a liiiiiiiiitle too fine. He's trying just a little too hard to put that sucker at the 5. When he learns that he can aim it at the 10 instead, he's going to be a horse.

[CupidStunt]

I'd be fine with replacing Butker with a cheap option if his body of work was regular season only. That is, I can live with saving precious $ to give up a career 90% guy for someone who's, what, 85%, and is definitely gonna miss a few that Butker hits.

But his playoff resume these last handful of years makes him absolutely irreplaceable. He's hit EVERY kick we needed him to in so many big moments that wouldn't BE big moments if not for him - like the 13 seconds game. That was no chip shot. The crazy thing is, they were mostly afterthoughts before the kick and after he nailed it. I think that speaks to how valuable he is. Similar to Tucker, where people would be shocked if they miss, and Tucker hasn't done it like Butt in the playoffs year after year.

[RedinTexas]

Originally Posted by Hoover

I was all about letting Tommy walk and drafting that kid from Iowa, but hell this is actually better because he can he will be part of the entire of season with the team.

Buffalo loses draft pick. We save a draft pick by signing a player off the street that appears to have GOAT potential. I love it when things work out on both ends.