Vikings to Punt Chris Kluwe ?

Sometimes... I have no problem paying for a punter like Andy Lee or Shane Lechler. I'm sure there are a couple others... But if the guy isn't a top five guy, they're pretty interchangeable. Kluwe is solid, and will find a job, but he's not top five guy.

 

That's amazing that Priefer said that to King...

This is how it usually works with kickers and punters. If someone is drafted, the team brings them in to the first mini-camp or rookie camp and if they look good, the veteran is gone. If they struggle, then it might extend into training camp.

It's definitely in Kluwe's best interest to be cut now rather than in July.

It sure sounds like Kluwe has pissed off or at least annoyed his coaching staff, but it sure looks like the Vikings are making an upgrade at the position, so who can blame them for making the move?

 

Alas, the kid was wide left ...

 

If I were in charge of an NFL team, the punter would never make more than minimum wage. If he even implied he wanted more, he would be immediately cut. Put the extra money into gunners.

 

It's easy to say until you have a shitty punter. It you have a guy who can consistently pin a team inside the 20, or one whose punts are usually unreturnable, it can be pretty valuable.

 

The punter is more valuable than the kicker. Discuss.

 

As a Colts fanboi looser, I remember seeing San Diego beat Indy in a playoff game a couple of years in large part because Mike Scifres kept sticking punts inside the 20. He had six punts for a NET 51.7 average. A good punter can do a lot to help win the field position game.

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/scifres-makes-it-a-proud-day-for-punters-and-kickers-everywhere/

 

It's hard to wind up with a shitty punter.

 

Shouldn't he have dug that yogurty goo out with a pretzel and brought it home to Mary Beth?

 

Damn - tried to get in before the first yogurt pretzel reference.

 

The punter will almost never be blamed for a loss the way a kicker may be. I think just like with punters, there are about five who are head and shoulders above everyone else and a handful who suck, and the rest are interchangeable.

I think it's also a bigger factor if you have to play a lot of cold weather games.