The Giants won the Super Bowl earlier this month with rookie snappers
Zak DeOssie and Jay Alford handling long and short snaps,
respectively. Both of the Giant snappers, as well as Patriots
snapper Lonie Paxton, got a great deal of media attention leading up
to the Super Bowl given the unique story lines that the snappers
present each year.
Paxton is about to become an unrestricted free agent and the latest
published reports indicated that the Patriots are discussing an
extension with Paxton, who can sign with any team if he is not signed
by the end of the month. As for the Giants, reports have indicated
that they will not re-sign Ryan Kuehl, who was injured just prior to
the regular season and will also become an unrestricted free agent.
Another potential unrestricted free agent, Ethan Albright of the
Redskins, re-signed with the team for another year just after his
appearance in the Pro Bowl. The Cowboys also re-signed snapper LP
Ladouceur to a five-year extension that prevented him from becoming a
restricted free agent.
With the recent signings, the unrestricted free agent snappers, in
addition to Paxton and Kuehl, include client Rob Davis (Packers),
Jeff Robinson (Seahawks) and Nate Hodel (Cardinals). The restricted
free agents are Matt Katula (Ravens), John Denney (Dolphins) and Greg
Warren (Steelers).
On the special teams coaching front, Kevin O'Dea will replace Mike
Westhoff with the Jets, who retired. Other coaches in new places
this season are Greg McMahon (Saints), John Bonamego (Dolphins),
Keith Armstrong (Falcons) and Jerry Rosburg (Ravens).
Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News recently published his
annual special teams rankings, in which he ranks all 32 teams based
on 22 categories. For the second year in a row, the Bears had the
top special teams units, followed by the Chargers, 49ers, Bills and
Texans. Of the 12 playoff teams, all but the Colts were in the top
20. The biggest improvements from last year was the Packers, who
went from last to seventh and the Texans who went from 29th to
fourth. The Cardinals were ranked last, behind the Colts, Broncos,
Saints and Eagles.
Snappers Tim Bugg (Indiana) and Tyler Schmitt (San Diego State) each
participated in the NFL Scouting Combine this past week in
Indianapolis. This is the third year that snappers have been invited
to the event, although in prior years, three snappers had been
invited.
The next issue of News and Notes will be available on Tuesday, March
25th and will include the latest snapping developments in free agency
and heading into the NFL Draft.
