Mason Crosby Signs New Deal

[run pMc]

Sort of like 2007, when the Packers, coming off 2 down seasons, went with a rookie kicker named Mason Crosby?

Bingo.

(I would not be surprised if they need to replace him the last year of his contract. I don't trust he'll be as strong/accurate in cold-weather winds at age 38/39.)

[pbmax]

To this day, I have no idea why they moved on from Masthay. I always thought he was a pretty darn good punter.

Masthay solved a big problem with punting and the Packers screwed it up with his replacement (repeat of letting Ryan go).

But while Masthay was more consistent than the dregs that came before and immediately after him, he had a mediocre leg. He also had had a string of bad games (as Demovsky points out). So unlike Crosby, Masthay was an average physical talent and hit a bad patch, then your job is not safe.

Masthay's best work coincided with the best Packers punt coverage numbers of the decade. Being dependable probably helped, but Masthay lived on those net numbers and when they fell, he was in trouble. Packers just made another bad decision on who to sign.

Overall Patler is probably right, keeping him and helping him work through the bad patch probably is the better play. Then you can do a proper search for a replacement rather than just scan the waiver wire. I suspect someone at 1265 wanted Shrum like what's his name liked Derrick Frost.

[pbmax]

The stats don't lie. I did a break down in a different thread where something like 28 of the kickers made >= 80% and maybe like 7 made >= 90% IIRC. Rookie kickers would do just fine in the vast majority of cases but where it gets a little iffy is if the game is on the line and you REALLY need the kick. I didn't research specific scenarios to see how they bare out in game winning attempts, etc so I can't speak to that beyond anecdotal which is why I consider it a risk..

The stats do lie here because if the coach doesn't trust you to save his job, then that kicker is hitting the street. In a perfect world where coaches better understood probability*, more young kickers would get a longer tenure with their first team.

But I doubt Mike Zimmer consulted your post before he dumped Walsh.

The bottom line is that kickers tend NOT to make it with their first team in a good number of cases.


*Actually, that will probably never happen as owners make hiring and firing coach decisions without understanding it. Its all about the press conference.

[pbmax]

Rob Demovsky @RobDemovsky
Since 2007, no one other than Mason Crosby has place-kicked for the Packers. In that same span, only 2 teams have used fewer than 5 kickers: Tennessee (4) and Indianapolis (3) while 20 teams have used more than 5 kickers, led by the Buccaneers (12).

[mraynrand]

Sort of like 2007, when the Packers, coming off 2 down seasons, went with a rookie kicker named Mason Crosby?

Different scenario coming off the 2006 season with Dave Rayner, who ended up maybe with only 2X the attempts he had in 2006 the rest of his career. So the Packers went with stability and track record. If they had a Rayner instead of Mason, I'm sure they would look to draft or RFA. Which they will do once Mason's contract or leg runs out, whichever comes first.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sport...by/4844438002/


It's funny to me how people think he's easily replaced when it would be considered crazy to let a top 5 player any other position walk in FA, especially when you could afford him and you have no obvious replacement on the roster. He hit several clutch kicks last year (game winners vs. DET) and contending teams must have a good kicker.

In 2018, Snowman missed something like 20 fgs at Detroit - indoor! And his miss against Zona pretty much terminated McCarthy. Crosby ain't nothing but a career 80% kicker. Moneyball, which is backed by math, says the Packers would be better off with Crumby's cuz than with Crosby.

[gbgary]

Lot of money for a kicker

3rd highest paid. he's good. don't want to take a step back in that dept (any dept for that matter). his cap hit for 2020 is $4m per tom silverstein.

[mraynrand]

In 2018, Snowman missed something like 20 fgs at Detroit - indoor! And his miss against Zona pretty much terminated McCarthy.

Makes you wonder if he was paid off by Gute to make sure Stubby got canned. Insurance policy!

[run pMc]

Makes you wonder if he was paid off by Gute to make sure Stubby got canned. Insurance policy!

Bingo.

[QBME]

Good for Mason.
Hard worker.
Great team mate.
Knows how to kick in the cold.
Might just be the player to get it done.