There are several things about this move that really bug me..while it may ultimately work out for the better, on the surface it's a highly questionable move. It seems little more than a cost cutting move that could come around quickly and bite this team in the ass! In a similar fashion we thought we were ready to move on from Dan Carpenter and we're still paying for that decision years later. Getting back to the cost cutting point; i'm reading that the move bottom-line will only save the team around $600,000 (after factoring in the salary of the replacement), not a lot of money saved in the grand scheme of things when you're talking about losing a top tier NFL punter who's been to the Pro Bowl and can be a huge weapon in terms of flipping the field and/or pinning the opposition deep. Punting is not just about kicking the ball as far as you can; it's about booming it when you absolutely need it, it's about finesseing it when you have a chance to put it out inside the 5 or 10 yd. line, it's about being smart enough to not out-kick your coverage and putting enough hangtime on your kicks to give your coverage guys every advantage..A really good punter and what he means to a team like the Fins, or any NFL team for that matter can't be overstated!..
Also, i don't think a cut like this sends a very good message to the team; bust your ass, make the Pro Bowl, be a consummate team player (even taking a pay cut) & getting thrown out like the dirty dishwater when the team thinks you're making a bit too much money for the position..and can a young team like the Fins really afford to just lop a top 5 or so player at any position?? Lastly, i wonder who ultimately made this decision??, would be interesting to know the answer to that question...
Also, i don't think a cut like this sends a very good message to the team; bust your ass, make the Pro Bowl, be a consummate team player (even taking a pay cut) & getting thrown out like the dirty dishwater when the team thinks you're making a bit too much money for the position..and can a young team like the Fins really afford to just lop a top 5 or so player at any position?? Lastly, i wonder who ultimately made this decision??, would be interesting to know the answer to that question...
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