Meet Your New Punter

[Pkrjones]

I seem to remember there were games where we needed a booming punt and didn't get one, but looking at the weekly punting stats I'm guessing it was Chicago @ GB, where he averaged 34.2 yds/punt. In that game, however, he dropped 2 punts inside the 20. Wondering if the 2 out of bounds were his "clunkers"?

Masthay is Green Bay's all time leading punter with a 44.3 yds/punt gross & 38.3 yds/punt net. 2015 he was 43.9 yds/punt gross & 40.2 net. Should be a good competition.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Booming 60 yard punts which occur from anywhere around your own goal line to about your own 39 are very nice. However, as long as he gets some height on them, I am satisfied with a consistent 45-50 yard punt from that position of the field. Which Masthay is not consistent doing.

The bigger mistake are the "booming punts" a punter makes from their teams own 45 and closer. Any punt that goes in the end zone should be considered too long and nets a team 20 less yards on the punt. This is another aspect of his game that Masthays has become inconsistent, with his longest punts seeming to come from this point of the field.

 

[HardRightEdge]

One thing about Mortell...he's about the closest thing to a cold weather kicker you can get. That's probably good for a few yards in the average vs. those SEC players who have never owned a winter coat in their lives.

 

[sschind]

I was hoping to see the Packers invest a draft pick into a punter, late round. Someone like Riley Dixon. Now I know, you can find guys like Mortell in the UDFA pool, but drafting a punter not only helps to assure you get the punter you want, but it sends a message to us fans......."we are done with Masthay".

I'm not convinced the Packers are ready to let go of Masthay. We went through this same thing last year after his crappy performance in 2014 . Mortell may give him a run for his money, but the coaches, with their excuses for Masthays continued poor play, seem to already think he is the guy.

A lot of fans tend to get upset when teams draft specialists (kickers, punters, long snappers) in the late rounds. They feel like its a wasted pick since they probably would be available as UDFAs. I feel that if you are a GM and you really like a guy go get him. If you think he is the guy to make your team better take him. There is no guarantee you will be the team to get him if he goes as an UDFA. That's why don't have an problem with the Lions taking the long snapper in round 6. For the position he is as much a sure thing as the first rounders so why not get him. This guy will make the team, at least he is far more likely to make the team than any other 6th rounder IMO.

Take me for example. If I were a player of this ilk and the vikings or cowboys were interested in me they had better draft me because if I go undrafted my first call is to the Packers and if they are interested in me at all that's where I'm signing. If they are not interested then the other 29 teams get a shot at me before I'll consider signing with them

 

[TeamTundra]

If we release Matshay we would absorb a $240k cap hit but would free up
$1.2 million in salary.

I couldn't find contract details for Mortell, but similar UDFA player contracts from
prior year were around $500k per year.

 

[rodell330]

Mhasthay isn't the answer at punter plain and simple.

 

[A-RODGE]

This guy will make the team, at least he is far more likely to make the team than any other 6th rounder IMO.

Exactly why I wanted Kaser Round 5...though after we traded a bunch of our mid round picks that idea might not have been the best. Still I am sure he wasn't an option even if we had 20 picks. Kaser would likely have a bigger impact on this team than any guy we would draft Round 5. Not to mention he would fill a big hole for years.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If we release Matshay we would absorb a $240k cap hit but would free up
$1.2 million in salary.

I couldn't find contract details for Mortell, but similar UDFA player contracts from
prior year were around $500k per year.

If Masthay has earned his workout bonus ($100K), added to his dead cap money ($240K), the rest of his contract calls for $1.2M.

Mortell's salary would be around $450K, which would be a $770K savings. It would also be $1.09 M less then Masthay's total package. Or the equivalent of Eddie Lacy or Davante Adams salary.

 

[El Guapo]

It sounds like some people need to be reminded of the Packers' 3rd round selection of BJ Sander in 2004. A terrible decision among a giant pile of bad picks. Why commit a draft pick to a nomadic position? There are rarely superior punters, just either those that kick for the league average and those that don't.

As for comparing yardage, it's also worth pointing out that all of Mortell's home games were played outdoors in horseshoe where the wind can and does affect the kicking game. Lambeau is totally enclosed with much higher walls all around.

I'm not convinced that Pete will get the job, but I like his chances. He is more than just a camp leg, he is real competition. For once we can at least say that Ted Thompson went out and signed the top free agent at his position - Holder Of The Year.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

It sounds like some people need to be reminded of the Packers' 3rd round selection of BJ Sander in 2004. A terrible decision among a giant pile of bad picks. Why commit a draft pick to a nomadic position? There are rarely superior punters, just either those that kick for the league average and those that don't.

The BJ Sander pick turned out horrible, but there are bad decisions (in hind sight) all the time made in the draft, and using one bad decision as an example shouldn't all of a sudden make that the rule to live by.

While I will agree with you that I would have been super disappointed in the Packers using a 3rd rounder in this draft on a punter, there is a big difference in using a 7th rounder. The 7th rounder guarantees you that punter. Counting on signing an UDFA punter, while it may save you a pick, doesn't guarantee you that you will get the punter you wanted. Further, how many 7th rounders even make a team? Who are you going to use that 7th pick on? The 42nd best guard in the draft that is probably going to be there as an UDFA anyway? My guess is a punter taken in the 7th round has a better shot at contributing to a team then most other positions.

 

[gopkrs]

Whenever I watch Masthay punt I just think he does not kick hard. Probably because he is concerned about missing and I believe mostly because he just does not have a very strong leg compared to other punters.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Whenever I watch Masthay punt I just think he does not kick hard. Probably because he is concerned about missing and I believe mostly because he just does not have a very strong leg compared to other punters.

I agree that he doesn't seem to be kicking the ball as far as he once did, but my issue with him is more with consistency and accuracy, or lack there of. A punter can be a weapon between the 40's. If he can pin the other team back with a well placed out of bounds kick or a high directional, correct distance punt that has to be fair caught or easily covered by the Packers special teams between the goal line and the 20. Masthy once had that ability and seems to have lost it. Not sure if its psychological or physical, but its been missing from his game the past few years.

 

[Packers907]

From the way he's holding the ball in that pic, it looks like he's got that rugby style going on as with Masthay. Masthsy does not employ it all the time...usually for positional kicking.

While I'm no apologist for Mathay, it is worth pointing out the potential benefits of that style. The rugby style tends to put a wobble on the ball and an odd flight, making it a little more difficult to track and catch at the expense of distance vs. the traditional style that attempts to put a spiral on the ball to cut the air for maximum carry.

Now I don't know if that pic is just an oddity, but if the kid does go in for the rugby style it tells you something about the Packer preference at the position.

It's the same with Mortell. Side grip for regular, booming spiral punts and rugby or even nose-down style for placing it inside the 10 or for directional punting. From scouting/highlight videos he consistently finds a way to get a sideways or straight up bounce and keep it out of the endzone.

 

[HardRightEdge]

It's the same with Mortell. Side grip for regular, booming spiral punts and rugby or even nose-down style for placing it inside the 10 or for directional punting. From scouting/highlight videos he consistently finds a way to get a sideways or straight up bounce and keep it out of the endzone.

That would match what they liked about Masthay when they actually liked him. "Like" has regressed to "it needs to be better" as nearly everyone agrees. I can't attest to Masthay's work ethic, but if he's gotten complacent in working on his game, he could get religion-through-competition as we saw with Crosby.

I'll look forward to seeing what he can do in preseason, if he makes it that far. He would seem to have better credentials than Tavecchio who was brought in to challenge Crosby. Since Minnesota/Big Ten is about as close to cold weather kicking as you can get in college ball, he has that going for him.