PREDICT 2007 PACKER KICKER

[Fred's Slacks]

I'm guessing Rayner. We know Rayner has touchback leg strength and kickers seem to really progress in those first 2 or 3 years. Crosby might struggle early like most young kickers.

I am thinking this same thing. I would love to see Crosby come in and light it up, but it seems that most kickers need to make some adjustments coming into this league and it takes a year or two to find a rhythm. So I went with Rayner.

[BF4MVP]

Mason Crosby.

[The Leaper]

The fact they used a draft pick on a kicker seems to suggest they believe Rayner can be improved on. The only way Crosby isn't on the team week one would be if Rayner takes a significant step forward and/or Crosby falls flat on his face during camp.

I think the latter is pretty unlikely given Crosby's success in college and cannon leg. So, it is up to Rayner to prove there is a vast difference between him and Crosby.

[RashanGary]

I don't think Crosby's leg is that much stronger than Rayners, if at all. I hear all of the Crosby talk and I just think we're going to see a guy struggle learning to get the ball off quicker and kicking the harder ball. Kicking is finicky, any change can throw the whole motion off. Rayner is just perfecting his already adjusted swing. Crosby, like most young kickers, will likely be adjusting and struggling early.

Thompson strikes me as a "best man wins" type guy. As everyone knows, I really have developed a liking for the way Thompson goes about his job. If he kept the lesser player because he drafted him and it was obvious, it would be certainly be a rare black mark on his resume as far as I'm concerned.

[Bretsky]

Strength wise I think the legs are quite equal

But I also think TT thinks Crosby has more upside and that's why he used a draft choice on a kicker.

[Jerry Tagge]

I say Chester Marcol is the kicker.

I WIN! I WIN! I WIN! I WIN! I WIN!

[TopHat]

Small Packer Nation Polls

1. Who will be the 2007 Packer Kicker:

Mason Crosby 73%
David Rayner 17%
Other 10%

2. Who are the Packers Punters and Kickers....?

Dave Rayner and Jon Ryan 8%
Mason Crosby & Jon Ryan 84%
Dave Rayner & David Lonie 4%
Mason Crosby & David Lonie 4%

3. Which....candidate will be kicking?

Mason Crosby 61%
Dave Rayner 39%