More Kicking Woes; Patrick Murray Injured
September 1st, 2015
Lovie Smith today revealed that last year’s kicker, standout rookie Patrick Murray, has a knee injury.
Murray didn’t practice this afternoon.
That leaves the Bucs with Connor Barth, who was signed last week but sliced and missed his only field goal try against the Browns on Saturday. Murray missed, too, in that game. Lovie wouldn’t give more details on Murray’s injury and availability. Top secret, apparently.
Of course, the Bucs just traded tight end Tim Wright for Lions backup kicker Kyle Brindza, a rookie.
Yesterday, Joe asked Lovie whether he’d carry two kickers on the 53-man roster, a highly rare scenario. Lovie wouldn’t rule it out.
If nobody makes a kick tomorrow night against Miami, you can just about bank on it.
September 1st, 2015 at 3:50 pm
I would be very tempted to put Schum on the practice squad and go with one kicker Brindza…..saving a roster spot…….risky but I think Brindza can do all three phases well.
September 1st, 2015 at 3:55 pm
It would be great if Brindza could do it all- field goals, kickoffs and punts. But can he do punts? If not, Dolphins just released Brandon Fields.
September 1st, 2015 at 4:01 pm
Am I reading this right we have four kickers and three tight ends?
September 1st, 2015 at 4:03 pm
Lovie thinking about keeping TWO kickers? Has this guy lost his mind….?
September 1st, 2015 at 4:05 pm
I’m pretty sure Bucs will keep 3 TE’s on the final roster and two of the kickers will get trimmed by Saturday. Hopefully Brinda looks good Thursday to make the decision easy.
September 1st, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Lovie is a dunce. So tired of this guy already. Dude couldn’t build an offensive line for the life of him.
September 1st, 2015 at 4:07 pm
He lost his mind along time ago
We are Doomed
September 1st, 2015 at 4:29 pm
Brindza is a smart cat! He could kick and also GM! Brindza wouldn’t get fleeced by other teams! Only Brindza can save Lovie!
September 1st, 2015 at 4:32 pm
Everybody is so damn negative. We have a young team and it looks like we are building a very good team here long term. What would be the problem of keeping Brindza and Barth? Brindza can punt too and has a great leg. You don’t let that go. You let the situation shake out and make the right call.
September 1st, 2015 at 4:32 pm
I think because Kyle Brindza is new here, people are assuming he’ll be better. We can assume he was cut for salary or youth reasons, but what if there is another reason?
Connor Barth, Kyle Brindza should compete, but there isn’t enough time left in the preseason now. So I think they should keep both…just for the first week. That will give them a chance to figure things out.
Of course, that means having 3 kickers on the roster for week one.
Personally, I’d be happy with either one. Connor was clutch for us for a while, and he had a good year last year. But he has to know he’s expendable as soon as Murray is better.
Either way…we have to have a kicker. So counting Murray, we have to keep two at least. Unless he gets put on IR or PUP.
How many can we put on PUP? We just put Spence there.
September 1st, 2015 at 4:33 pm
HTTB? Hail To The Brindza?
Buckle up…cool the beverages….5 wins.
September 1st, 2015 at 4:36 pm
@Sumo
I think the roster spot matters to a great degree. Also, keep in mind…unless Murray is moved to IR or PUP, he counts as on the roster as well. So keeping both Connor Barth and Kyle Brindza would mean keeping three.
UNLESS Brindza is assigned the punting duties. Which is possible.
September 1st, 2015 at 4:40 pm
THANK YOU SUMO. EVERYONE ON THIS SITE ARE NEGATIVE NANCIES. IT’S THE SAME 5 POEOPLE EVERYTIME TOO.
September 1st, 2015 at 4:48 pm
Yea, everyone needs to calm down, In a couple of days the bucs will be dumpster diving and a bunch of new garbage players will be on and off this roster that we will be able to complain about!!!!!
September 1st, 2015 at 4:57 pm
least of their problems.
September 1st, 2015 at 5:39 pm
They are going to stash Murray on IR and go with Barth this year. They dont want to cut Patrick and risk losing the youngster. Book it. Lovie’s announcement was just to set it up.
September 1st, 2015 at 10:53 pm
I don’t know know how we let Matt Bryant go to the Falcons, I remember the 62 yard FG he kicked with no time on the clock to beat the Eagles..SMH
September 2nd, 2015 at 12:31 am
What’s with Lovie hate?!?!!?
Holy crap.
He was asked a question, and like almost every single HC, his answer was vague and “wouldn’t rule anything out”.
Yet some of you think this means the Bucs are suddenly fielding 3-23 kickers and Lovieb is a complete idiot.
The number of miserable, negative so-called fans on here is getting extremely annoying. They try to claim to be realist…. Sure.
What happens when they BUCS start winning and bring playoff contenders ? (Next year is my guess).
Do they pack and go somewhere else to whine?
Or admit they were wrong about the g, coach and QB
September 2nd, 2015 at 1:30 am
TBBF- I’m Glad to see you figured out about Schum and what he can do.
Schititz- Bucs brought in 3 weeks ago from Denver, Elway saw him on youtube to give him a NFL tryout. He has some big punts but is inconstant doesn’t kickoff. Cut this guy.
Schum- We had him on our practice squad last year and recently cut by the Jets, brought in last week. This guy kick offs well and has punted extremely well so far. The Bucs should have kept Schum and Conner last season & should go with them this year. Why repeat the same mistake.
Brindza -I’m interested in seeing what he can do but there is no way he would be able to stay healthy and be consistent at all 3 phases of K/P. I do love how people who have never done it assume it’s so easy.