Saints auditioning kickers and punters today..

[SaintsFanatic]

from nola.com

Some background info on the guys the Saints are considering at kicker and punter:

Billy Cundiff, 28, might be the front-runner for the kicking job because Saints Coach Sean Payton is so familiar with him. They brought him in for a workout earlier this month, even before they released Taylor Mehlhaff on Tuesday.

Cundiff played in seven games with the Saints in 2006, including the playoffs, after he signed in late November to be the team's kickoff specialist. He missed both of his field goal attempts that year, though, including a 47-yarder at Chicago in the NFC Championship Game. Cundiff spent four years with the Dallas Cowboys from 2002-05, making 60 of 82 field goal attempts. He also auditioned with Atlanta and Kansas City in the past two offseasons.

Dave Rayner, 26, has the most recent experience of the bunch, having appeared in two games with the Cincinnati Bengals this month while Shayne Graham was out with a groin injury. Rayner made his only field goal attempt from 26 yards and made all three extra-point attempts. He has also kicked for Kansas City, Green Bay, Indianapolis and San Diego, making 42 of 49 field goal attempts in his career.

Aaron Elling, 30, has played with the Vikings, Titans and Ravens, making 19 of 28 field goal attempts in his career. He last played in Baltimore in 2005, but he has played in the preseason since then, most recently in Oakland this year, when he made 4 of 5 field goal attempts.

A.J. Haglund, 25, has no NFL experience. But he was the Arena Football League's Kicker of the Year in 2008. He made 21 of 25 field goal attempts and 116 of 124 extra-point attempts for the San Jose SaberCats.

Garrett Hartley, 22, is a rookie out of Oklahoma. He signed with Denver as an undrafted free agent but was released before the start of training camp.

Punter Josh Miller, 38, is a veteran of 13 NFL seasons with Pittsburgh, New England and Tennessee, averaging 43.1 yards per kick over his career. He has not played this year, though he signed with the Titans for one week earlier this month as a potential injury replacement. He played in just one game with the Titans last year.

Glenn Pakulak, 28, has bounced around the league for several years, though he's never landed a regular-season gig. He was most recently with the Raiders this preseason, averaging 45 yards per punt.

IMO, A.J Haglund sounds like the best prospect at kicker, and he has no NFL experience.

[SaintsFanatic]

well we have both a new kicker and punter now.

The Saints have signed kicker Garrett Hartley and punter Glenn Pakulak after auditioning several players at both positions at their practice facility on Wednesday.

"We were impressed with both Garrett and Glenn throughout the competitive sessions and we will continue to evaluate the positions closely throughout the remainder of the season," General Manager Mickey Loomis said in a press release.

Agent Mark Mersel, who represents both players, also confirmed the signings.

Hartley, 22, is an undrafted rookie out of Oklahoma. He signed with the Denver Broncos but was released before the start of training camp. It's possible that the Saints will still consider veteran options such as Dave Rayner, Billy Cundiff or Aaron Elling after they take an extended look at the rookie over the next week.

Pakulak, 28, has bounced around the league for several years, though he's never landed a regular-season gig. He was most recently with the Raiders this preseason, averaging 45 yards per punt.

How long will they last?

[WilsonTheVolleyball]

They should've grabbed Haglund. I follow the AFL almost religiously, and that guy is the real deal.

[SaintsFanatic]

Originally Posted by WilsonTheVolleyball

They should've grabbed Haglund. I follow the AFL almost religiously, and that guy is the real deal.

Unfortunately, with the way things have been going lately they'll likely be having tryouts again in a couple of weeks.

[Cajn43]

I guess we will soon find out if the new kicker and punter will be able to get the job done. I think for the near future all kicking contracts signed with the Saints should be signed in pencil to conserve paper....

[SaintsFanatic]

Originally Posted by Cajn43

I think for the near future all kicking contracts signed with the Saints should be signed in pencil to conserve paper....

LOL!

I'm going to hold out hope though that these guys will work out.

[SaintsFanatic]

John DeShazier of the TP had a lot to say on the subject today.

If changing kickers and punters about as often as he changes socks gives New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton peace of mind, gives his team a psychological advantage and gives the Saints a noticeable performance bump in those areas, then let him keep up the game of musical chairs and hope someone competent is sitting when the tune stops.

True, bringing in the third kicker and third punter of a regular season that only is eight games old obviously don't solve the larger problems that seem to be glaring the Saints in the face.

Kickers and punters don't cover receivers. They don't block on third- or fourth-and-1. They don't fumble. They don't get suspended (unless their name is Todd Sauerbrun).

They don't call for onside kicks that fail and virtually guarantee points to teams that otherwise might not be able to score, like what happened in the Minnesota game. They don't give the go ahead for the offense to take a safety that gives an opponent like San Diego a Hail Mary chance to win, rather than order a punt and assure that, likely, if the opponent scores on a Hail Mary the game only will be tied and go to overtime.

They might miss a tackle now and again but if they're in position to make a tackle, you can believe someone else probably should be on the receiving end of wrath for letting the situation get to that point.

But you can't argue with the ultimate results after Payton sacked his kicker and punter the first time.

When kicker Martin Gramatica mercifully was placed on injured reserve after helping blow the Minnesota and Denver games, his injured groin given as the cause when his propensity to miss critical field goal attempts probably should've earned him a visit to the unemployment line, the Saints beat Oakland with Taylor Mehlhaff handling the duties.

When punter Steve Weatherford surprisingly was booted after the Saints were kicked around by Carolina, New Orleans went to London and took out San Diego with Ben Graham doing that job.

So with Mehlhaff and Graham being shown the door after the San Diego game the Saints are guaranteed to beat the Falcons in Atlanta on Nov. 9, right? Because the first purges at the positions obviously helped produce the desired result (victory).

Gramatica's absence had to have a calming affect on Saints players, who probably believe the team would have two more victories if Gramatica hadn't been errant against the Broncos and Vikings.

Weatherford's dismissal had to have calmed Payton, if not Saints players. Sure, Weatherford's numbers didn't appear to be significantly better or worse than most punters and teams weren't gashing the Saints special teams on his punts more glaringly than, say, Minnesota is being humiliated with Chris Kluwe, who remains employed by the Vikings. But he obviously didn't meet the standards Payton has placed on the position (and neither did Graham, though one game doesn't seem like much of a chance to prove anything).

There's no telling how long Payton will be willing to stomach new kicker Garrett Hartley and new punter Glenn Pakulak. They're here today; literally, they could be gone tomorrow and, certainly, they could be ex-Saints the day after the Atlanta game. If Mehlhaff and Graham can be whacked after a win in which neither glaringly seemed to stink, then Hartley and Pakulak know the deal.

They're not on a short leash. There is no leash at all.

But it hasn't hurt the Saints so far. Change at kicker and punter didn't keep New Orleans from winning the first two times. Shakeup at the positions might not adversely affect the team this time, either, and if it doesn't, Payton might be on to something.

Sure, they don't cover receivers or run block. But if they effectively boost the psyche, changing them out an average of every three games or so this season might be worth it for the Saints.