Crosby is back!

[GleefulGary]

Signed a 3 year deal per Mike McCartney. Don't have figures.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I'm pretty confident to say "Great News!" with the caveat of course "as long as they didn't absolutely break the bank on him. I am sure it will be top 5 Kicker money or somewhere in that neighborhood.

Let the Mason Crosby debates start all over again......this year I am staying out of them.

 

[Dantés]

Good enough... don't have to worry about kicker.

 

[Sky King]

Lots of more expensive players cap-wise for the team to worry about than Crosby. Amen to moving on!

 

[adambr2]

3 years, $12.9M. $6M in 2020.

Well, we've been paying top kicker money for an average kicker for the last 8 years. No reason to stop now.

 

[GleefulGary]

3 years, $12.9M. $6M in 2020.

Well, we've been paying top kicker money for an average kicker for the last 8 years. No reason to stop now.

Crosby is one of the best kickers in the league.

Ask the Bears how nice it is to not worry when your kicker lines up.

 

[adambr2]

Crosby is one of the best kickers in the league.

Ask the Bears how nice it is to not worry when your kicker lines up.

No, he was one of the best in the league in 2019. His career norms indicate some regression is likely.

As far as the Bears go, it's strange that Piniero gets so much venom when his FG percentage in 2019 (82.8%) was higher than Mason's career percentage (81%).

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

As far as the Bears go, it's strange that Piniero gets so much venom when his FG percentage in 2019 (82.8%) was higher than Mason's career percentage (81%).

I promised I wouldn't comment on Mason, but the Bear thing. That has nothing to do with Piniero. People have been laughing at the Bears ever since they cut one of the best kickers in their history, Robbie Gould, because he had a 2012 Mason Crosby like year. After that, they went through how many kickers, finally signed Parkey to a 4 year deal and he double doinked a short one to eliminate them from the playoffs. Meanwhile, Gould was back to his old self in San Fran.

Also, one year does not make a kicker. I wouldn't get too excited about Piniero just yet.

 

[GleefulGary]

No, he was one of the best in the league in 2019. His career norms indicate some regression is likely.

As far as the Bears go, it's strange that Piniero gets so much venom when his FG percentage in 2019 (82.8%) was higher than Mason's career percentage (81%).

Look at Crosby's numbers in the playoffs, when it counts. Lambeau is a hard place to kick, and McCarthy didn't always put him in ideal spots. Crosby is a top kicker.

 

[adambr2]

I promised I wouldn't comment on Mason, but the Bear thing. That has nothing to do with Piniero. People have been laughing at the Bears ever since they cut one of the best kickers in their history, Robbie Gould, because he had a 2012 Mason Crosby like year. After that, they went through how many kickers, finally signed Parkey to a 4 year deal and he double doinked a short one to eliminate them from the playoffs. Meanwhile, Gould was tearing back to his old self in San Fran.

Also, one year does not make a kicker. I wouldn't get too excited about Piniero just yet.

Parkey was a serviceable kicker and that double doink was not a short one, it was a 43 yarder in Chicago in January, not a gimme, and was partially tipped. I don't know why they jumped the gun and cut him over one kick that was tipped. It was really overreactionary. They ate a lot of money just to dump him. Kickers do miss from time to time, and Crosby has missed several game winning field goals in his career as well.

Gould still had a pretty good season before the Bears dumped him. That was an odd move to dump him just to pay Parkey a big contract. I figured they were just trying to save money but they just gave Gould's money to Parkey.

 

[adambr2]

Look at Crosby's numbers in the playoffs, when it counts. Lambeau is a hard place to kick, and McCarthy didn't always put him in ideal spots. Crosby is a top kicker.

Well, you can say that as much as you'd like, the career numbers just don't back it up. When you stack him up against a legitimately top kicker -- say, a Justin Tucker, it's just not a very close statistical comparison.

I'd agree that he's kicked very well in the playoffs. If you called him a top playoff kicker, based on his career performance I'd agree with that.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

that double doink was not a short one, it was a 43 yarder in Chicago in January, not a gimme

Nahh...that's a gimmee for my man Mason!

But in all seriousness. What the Bears did isn't new to other teams. You are right, they over reacted on Gould and probably again on Parkey, but that is the nature of the position and many fans. They don't care what you did 2 or more games ago, they just remember you out there missing that game winner and want your head to roll. Had Crosby not had his infamous 2012 season, I don't think this discussion happens almost every year, but it does and i am glad that it does, because it means he is still kicking for the Packers!

 

[GleefulGary]

Well, you can say that as much as you'd like, the career numbers just don't back it up. When you stack him up against a legitimately top kicker -- say, a Justin Tucker, it's just not a very close statistical comparison.

I'd agree that he's kicked very well in the playoffs. If you called him a top playoff kicker, based on his career performance I'd agree with that.

Justin Tucker is the top kicker, by a fair margin. Crosby is still among the leagues best.

 

[adambr2]

If he keeps up his 2019 numbers for 3 more years I'll be more than happy with the deal.

 

[Dantés]

Last five seasons:

• 0-19 yards: 3/3, 100%
• 20-29 yards: 27/27, 100%
• 30-39 yards: 40/45, 89%
• 40-49 yards: 35/44, 80%
• 50+ yards: 12/19, 63%
• Total: 117/138, 85%

So the aggregate over the last five years makes him out to be a little bit better than average in terms of overall %. I can buy that kicking outdoors in Wisconsin is a harder gig than what most kickers face. I am not really in the mood to do a deep dive into kicking stats, but a glance at the numbers seems to indicate that many players near the top in terms of overall % have more tries under 40 yards than what Crosby is normally given.

 

[GleefulGary]

From 2012 til now, he has missed one FG in the playoffs out of 21 attempts. For his career, he's missed 3. Never missed an XP out of 65 attempts.

The man is money when it counts.

 

[OldSchool101]

This was a no brainer for slightly over $4mil+/yr.
15 of the 32 teams Kickers make roughly $4Mil area per season (the vast majority making less are on rookie contracts. When factoring in annual increase adjustments and his is a fresh contract, he’s hovering around that top 10-15 area salary wise, which is consistent with his full body of work production.
I like this signing, it’s completely reasonable.

 

[OldSchool101]

From 2012 til now, he has missed one FG in the playoffs out of 21 attempts. For his career, he's missed 3. Never missed an XP out of 65 attempts.

The man is money when it counts.

That’s a understatement.
We were looking at that recently. In the playoffs in non dome stadiums Mason is 43/43 in FG/extra point attempts (100%). That’s 8/8 FG % and 35/35 XPM % in the playoffs when kicking in cold weather Stadiums in January Playoffs. That’s Lambeau, Philly’s “Linc”, Chicago’s Soldier Field and Fedex (D.C.).
Nobody is better in those conditions and he actually gets better the higher the stakes and the worse the weather. Makes no sense at all, but it’s a fact.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

*Puts Mason up on our shoulders and runs him around the thread, as we chant his name*

 

[HardRightEdge]

I'll be curious to see the breakdown. For example, a backloaded deal with a $5 mil signing bonus would break down the cap hits roughly as follows:

2020: $2.7 mil ($1 mil base salary, $1.7 mil signing bonus proration)

That gets you to the reported $6 mil payout in 2020 with the $5 mil up front in the signing bonus.

2021: $5.2 mil ($3.5 mil base salary, $1.7 mil signing bonus proration)

That gets you to the reported $9.5 mil payout in 2020-2021.

2022: $5.1 mil ($3.4 mil salary; $1.7 mil signing bonus proration)

There could be roster bonuses in lieu of some salary in years 2 or 3.

This kind of structure might be an early indication of a more all-in approach to 2020 given 2021's high cap obligations. A flattish spread of the cap might indicate a more moderated approach.

$2 mil here, $4 mil there, it starts to add up.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

$2 mil here, $4 mil there, it starts to add up.

Right but would they really miss or notice $100K going your way and my way to "consult?"

 

[HardRightEdge]

Right but would they really miss or notice $100K going your way and my way to "consult?"

Why would they when they can read it all here for free?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Why would they when they can read it all here for free?

True. Much like sex in college, it didn't feel right charging for my expert service.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

Signed a 3 year deal per Mike McCartney. Don't have figures.

First domino to fall....Will Bulaga be next?

 

[gbgary]

one of the no-choice FA's gets signed. status quo maintained in a very important department.