Earliest you'd get a punter?

[Direckshun]

Several things are worth consideration.

1. Tommy Townsend was insanely good the last couple years.

2. Effective punting, especially with a defense as good as ours, is critical.

3. Matt Araiza was a top candidate at one point, but the Chiefs aren't even his first stop since his acquittal. He had a tryout with the Jets in 2023, and they didn't elect to sign him. So, he either got really good in the past year, or he's probably a replacement-level punter, and the Chiefs need a new one.

4. Forward to 20:00 of Brett Kollman's Q&A video:



That leads to my question:

There's a couple really good punters in this class -- would you invest a pick in one? Would you take your chances in UDFA? Or are you comfortable rolling into the season with a potentially replacement-level punter.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Until I know he's good at punting, I can't say he's good at punting.

The last punt I saw him boot was three years ago. The Jets took a look at him and elected to go elsewhere.

I doubt he forgot how to punt. You don't average over 50 yards per and just forget in a season. Plus he can be a reserve kicker. That's kinda handy.

As for punters, The Athletic reported on it last year before the draft. To quote it, from 1997-2022 only 51 punters were drafted, and of the 36 players that punted in 2022 only 18 were drafted.

Using a draft pick on a punter might be the dumbest use of draft capital on the planet. My 2 cents.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Nobody is angry. I think this is hilarious and typical of you.

Yeah you just reek of playful energy.

Buddy, don't take this the wrong way, you're going on ignore. I can't envision useful continued dialogue about my favorite team while you're looking to pick fights, even in threads about punters.

We both win. You get to take potshots at me without rebuttal for the rest of time. I get to continue a fulfilling life that is dotted with football conversation without enduring your omnipresent angst.

You get the last word, staylor. Best wishes.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by raybec 4

The Jets had just signed Morstead three weeks prior to working out Araiza and were going to be on the hook for 1.1 million in cap whether he kicked for them or not.

That's all fine and fair.

Nobody else brought him in (that we know of). That's all I'm saying.

Every now and then you get a weirdo unicorn case, where a useful, Super Bowl caliber player is just sitting on the streets looking to sign with a team for pennies, like Donovan Smith. (For the record, I was a doubter about him too, so I'll eat my crow on this just like everybody else does sometimes.)

I just don't think we can count on Araiza to be a Donovan Smith level surprise.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Yeah you just reek of playful energy.

Buddy, don't take this the wrong way, you're going on ignore. I can't envision useful continued dialogue about my favorite team while you're looking to pick fights, even in threads about punters.

We both win. You get to take potshots at me without rebuttal for the rest of time. I get to continue a fulfilling life that is dotted with football conversation without enduring your omnipresent angst.

You get the last word, staylor. Best wishes.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

He.. is.. on.. a.. roster. OURS.

That's fair. That's not what I meant to say, but fair enough.

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

I'm not drawing any conclusions about him because the reeruned jets didn't want him. What have the Jets done lately to make you think "Whoa shit, better go as they go." They are as close to the 0-16 Lions team as they are the prime bellicheck patriots that knew when to hold em and when to fold em.

I actually think the Jets are decently run right now, and (pre-draft) I have them as a Top 3 team in the AFC so long as Aaron Rodgers is healthy.

And to be clear, I'm not saying that the Jets' eval of Araiza is what's driving my skepticism. The fact that (to our knowledge) no other team brought him in says to me that this is either a Donovan Smith-level surprise, or that he's a replacement level punter. The odds suggest he's the latter.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

That's all fine and fair.

Nobody else brought him in (that we know of). That's all I'm saying.

Every now and then you get a weirdo unicorn case, where a useful, Super Bowl caliber player is just sitting on the streets looking to sign with a team for pennies, like Donovan Smith. (For the record, I was a doubter about him too, so I'll eat my crow on this just like everybody else does sometimes.)

I just don't think we can count on Araiza to be a Donovan Smith level surprise.

Imagine being this ****ing reeruned then getting your feelings hurt when people tell you you're reeruned.

He didn't just fall out of the sky. He was "sitting on the streets" for a reason, mongoloid.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

This is maybe the most Direkshun thread of them all. I find it absurd, but do enjoy a lot of your work. Never change buddy.

But come on. What a weird place to doubt the front office lol.

I don't doubt them? I don't think Veach/Reid have come out saying that Araiza is the punter of the future. He signed for pennies.

I fully believe the Chiefs are going to bring in competition for him.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Dante84

What if told you he was on a roster….

Yeah, fair enough. I didn't say that properly.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Dante84

Do you think in the past two years that he went from being the greatest college punter / nfl prospect of all time, to not being able to be a top 32 punter, despite having zero injuries in that time?

Do you think Toub / Veach signed him and let Tommy walk without having him come try out so they could evaluate his current ability?

Do you think he’ll fail so spectacularly that we should use a draft pick on a punter instead of a UDFA, despite having the greatest quarterback of all time?

I'm not certain he was the greatest prospect of all time, but he was certainly up there. I just know people who have gone through the turmoil he's gone through and expecting them to remain the same on the other side of it is not a good bet.

Maybe I'll be surprised though. My guess is that the Chiefs bring in a punter for competition. I wouldn't bet on a draft pick myself -- you guys make it sound like I'm betting on it -- but I would make a bet on competition.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by kccrow

No, I don't.

There is not such an appreciable difference between NFL-caliber punters that it affects games in some meaningful way. The ability to pin a team inside the 20 4 more times a season than any other average guy doesn't mean much. The ability to average 1 more yard per punt doesn't move the needle. It's a fallacy. When I'm home, I'll see if I can find the data on it.

I look forward to seeing it.

I think, if you're going to have an elite defense, which the Chiefs may still have even after losing Sneed, having a really good punter enhances them.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I doubt he forgot how to punt. You don't average over 50 yards per and just forget in a season. Plus he can be a reserve kicker. That's kinda handy.

As for punters, The Athletic reported on it last year before the draft. To quote it, from 1997-2022 only 51 punters were drafted, and of the 36 players that punted in 2022 only 18 were drafted.

Using a draft pick on a punter might be the dumbest use of draft capital on the planet. My 2 cents.

51 punters is like a couple a year, isn't it? And if 18 were drafted, that does mean half the league.

It's not some blue moon event.

Your opinion at the end of your post is fair, I just personally disagree.

[Coogs]

2038

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by Coogs

2038

[Dante84]

I think you're going to have your socks blown off once preseason starts.

I want you to re-watch this and set your mind at ease.

[Megatron96]

Uh, is this for real? How about shortly after never? What are we, the Raiders?