Jake Camarda Does Not Need To Be “Punt God”

May 2nd, 2022

Bucs P Jake Camarda.

The “Punt God” is angry.

Matt Araiza, known as “Punt God” for his booming punts at San Diego State that made him the most famous punter in recent memory, is irked that NFL teams had the nerve to draft two punters before the Buffalo Bills selected him in the sixth round.

One of the two punters drafted before “Punt God” was the Georgia punter Jake Camarda, taken by the Bucs in the fourth round. This did not go over well with Bucs fans.

So Joe brings Bucs fans assuring words. Camarda does not need to be “Punt God” and boom 80-yard punts. Per stat guy and handicapper Warren Sharp, Camarda only needs to be accurate.

Per Sharp’s research, the Bucs were one of the best teams in the NFL for moving the ball. Not many Bucs possessions ended up with punts.

So there you have it, Bucs fans. Camarda doesn’t have to outkick “Punt God.” Camarda only needs to be accurate with his punts in order to be effective because the Bucs are likely going to move the ball.

53 Responses to “Jake Camarda Does Not Need To Be “Punt God””

  1. dls5492 Says:

    Joe, thank you.

  2. SB~LV Says:

    I don’t understand why there are not more punt’s angled out of bounds

  3. Casual Observer Says:

    A fine pick.

  4. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    I can understand fans being upset by the drafting of a punter…..most thinking we could get one in the 7th or UDFA….
    The question is…..which punter. When Jordan Stout went off the board a couple of picks above the Bucs….the Bucs pounced.

    I always believed we would draft a punter….knowing the money situation and the likelihood we could improve on Pinion.

    I think the difference with this guy is his skill in the kicking game…..he can be a backup FG kickier and is outstanding on kickoffs…..he also is an experienced holder….

    This was a good pick….

  5. tampabayallday Says:

    We just drafted him too early. 4th round? Come on, 5th AT LEAST

  6. ViSyl Says:

    Putting the ball inside the 10 sometimes can be the turn point in a game. It was a great pick.

  7. Steven007 Says:

    I’m starting to believe this is the only football picture of our new punter that exists. Believe I’ve seen it four or five times leading articles written since he was drafted. Anyways, I find the punting chatter amusing. I mean, one drafted punter is mad because other punters were drafted before him?! When this happens with other positions the apparently insulted player is interviewed and then let’s the rest of the NFL know that they will pay forever, haha. If this gives Buffalo’s new punt boy more juice in his kicks have at it. As long as our guy does his job. But yeah Joe, find another pic?

  8. MadMax Says:

    4th round, not 5th….and i love the pick.

  9. Bucsfanman Says:

    There’s just something about this team and “kickers”. IMO, it’s more of a cost-cutting move. However, there is value in field position, especially given this team’s rotten special teams over the years.

  10. acey Says:

    I’d lying if I said it wouldn’t be funny if Punt God became the second coming of Rosen.

  11. Jor God tha Binks Says:

    The move makes plenty sense (and “cents” if Camarda works out and I think he’s gonna be just fine…if not some level of really good to great)

    I didn’t mind this pick at all and the reason “Punt God” went so low was he doesn’t get hang time on his punts like Stout and Camarda do. If you’re gonna choose a Punter late in the Draft and save some $ in the process (every penny counts while Brady is here), you could’ve have picked a better one this year coming out of the SEC as the Conferences top Punter.

    Heck, if our receivers go down again this year like last, we might need that 4.5 speed on the outside at WR in a pinch for a few deep ball fades or the alike 😂

  12. SKBucsFan Says:

    The advantage of Araiza is that he is a southpaw. The ball comes off different than the right foot of every other kicker. Teams can’t practice catching unless they bring in a guy for a one week contract. Other than that I don’t care. A punter is a punter. And 4th round is too early!

  13. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    tampabayallday Says:
    May 2nd, 2022 at 9:19 am
    We just drafted him too early. 4th round? Come on, 5th AT LEAST

    Keep in mind at the time we had no 5th or 6th round picks….only 7th.

  14. #8 Says:

    FU Saints.

  15. Anonymous Says:

    Why does it look like he is wearing a cheap party store Halloween wig?

  16. 1sparkybuc Says:

    Punters have been known to affect the outcome of a game. When Brady is gone, I expect we will all be thankful for this pick. Camarda makes this team better. That’s the bottom line. How long has it been since a fake punt was a viable option for the Bucs? We got the fastest punter in the history of the NFL, and people complain about the round he was drafted. Sheesh.

  17. Todd Says:

    4.5 40!

    He’ll not just punt.

    He’ll pick up first downs with his speed!

    He’s Punt Yahweh!!!

  18. Jason Johnston Says:

    Yeah, that is not the best pic. Makes him look like he is wearing a cheap Halloween wig.

  19. Buc50 Says:

    Punters started going off the board in the 4th but fan says we should have waited at least until the 5th round. Same goes for RBs.

  20. Alanbucsfan Says:

    Camarda only needs to be accurate with his punts in order to be effective
    – that assumes he doesn’t suck in pre season and gets cut.

  21. DoooshLaRue Says:

    Does this mean the White Stripes have officially disbanded?

  22. SB~LV Says:

    If he turns out to be a good pick it doesn’t matter, same with the first round. Every year there are consensus players everyone is coveting that either flop or just have starting quality careers but not the special player that they were expected to have.
    It is only in hindsight that the muddy water clears up

  23. Rayjay1122 Says:

    Special teams for sure needed a boost. Nice pick.

  24. SB Says:

    The Slimy Saints just landed the Honey Badger.

  25. Nicholas Carlson Says:

    Punters are really important! Don’t believe the Joes! 😉

  26. Joe Says:

    I don’t understand why there are not more punt’s angled out of bounds

    Wondered this for years. Finally got the answer from a special teams coach: Teams try to use punts to force a turnover. Can’t get a turnover if the ball is out of bounds.

    Wish teams would kick it out of bounds more. Can’t return a punt if the ball is out of bounds.

  27. ChiBuc Says:

    I don’t disagree Joe, but the logic is fallacious. If the Bills’ drives end in punts only 28% of the time and the Bucs 31% of the time, and both teams are SB contenders, it seems to me the more efficient team got better value (on paper). Now, if facing off on the SB, I sure as hell hope 4th rd Camarda “out puts” the 6th rd punting God or JL will get an egg facial.

  28. Bucamania Says:

    Saints are drafting studs and signing pro bowl FAs while the Bucs are trading out of the first round and picking punters in the 4th.

  29. sasquatch Says:

    SB~LV Says:
    May 2nd, 2022 at 9:08 am

    I don’t understand why there are not more punt’s angled out of bounds

    The difference between plural and possessive also seems to have escaped you.

  30. sasquatch Says:

    Bucamania Says:
    May 2nd, 2022 at 10:39 am

    Saints are drafting studs and signing pro bowl FAs while the Bucs are trading out of the first round and picking punters in the 4th.

    Oh quit yer b!tching.

  31. Bucamania Says:

    You know I’m right. Well, maybe you don’t actually.

  32. #8 Says:

    Funny Todd-

    Bucamania, I don’t think that take will age well.

  33. ChiBuc Says:

    @Sasquatch, do you have any independent thoughts beyond snarky insults? How’s my grammar, does it meet your yeti approval?

  34. BucsFanSince1976 Says:

    The money Bucs save by cutting Pinion is very useful , that is why they drafted Camarda. If you wanted a punter , why not move up a bit and get Jordan Stout whose numbers are far far better than Camarda. Draft was a C minus at best , passing on Devin Lloyd was short sighted and foolish as he was the best LB in the draft and was starter ready on Day 1. Ed Ingram LG LSU All-SEC was right there for the taking and you passed again to a total reach Luke whatever his name is. The goal is to win the Bowl right now , but you passed on impact players that are NFL ready on Day 1-Not Good.

  35. JD Says:

    “I don’t understand why there are not more punt’s angled out of bounds”

    Penalty for a mis-hit is too great. On a normal punt if you kick it 15 yards to the side of where you were aiming, it’s no big deal. But if you aim at the sidelines and then kick it too far to one side, you can take 10 yards off the kick. Combine that with the fact that an angled kick already loses significant distance compared to a straight kick, and you’re in real danger of only getting 25-30 net yards on your kick.

    A sideline kick can be a great weapon for an accurate punter but it makes the most sense on a short field, where your full distance isn’t needed and the penalty for a mishit is relatively low.

  36. lambchop Says:

    LOL, Araiza will be this year’s Tom Brady with that chip. Too bad he probably won’t get many opportunities and he’s a dang punter after all. If he takes his anger out by tackling, I’d understand.

  37. K2 Says:

    He will likely be the Bucs punter, kickoff specialist, and holder on extra points. He is an upgrade and will improve cap space. How many 4th rounders are we excited about that never even play.

    However, I admit I’m much more excited about Zyon!!!! He might be one of the top CBs in the draft…only time will tell. He might be a big contributor in the second part of the season when players are banged up.

  38. David Says:

    I have no problem with the pick.
    They needed a punter and after one came off the board, waiting until the sixth round seemed unlikely. Pinion really fell off last year but the biggest thing is this frees up a couple million to sign GRONK.

  39. Cobraboy Says:

    Joe Says:
    May 2nd, 2022 at 10:26 am

    I don’t understand why there are not more punt’s angled out of bounds

    Wondered this for years. Finally got the answer from a special teams coach: Teams try to use punts to force a turnover. Can’t get a turnover if the ball is out of bounds.

    Wish teams would kick it out of bounds more. Can’t return a punt if the ball is out of bounds.

    It depends on the ST philosophy and how good the D is.

    In college my team had a top defense in both yards and points. We pointed to the “coffin corner” inside our 40, and lined up kickoff on the right hash and kicked to the corner, using the sideline to force the return one direction.

    As a grad asst., I got the HCs to buy into that philosophy…and it worked, but not because of a solid D (which we did not have) but because we had a lot of speed on coverage teams.

    Sometimes I look at the NFL and think “everybody does it this way” on ST’s. No creativity at all.

  40. Cobraboy Says:

    Bucs had no 5th or 6th round picks. They knew all the punters would be gone by their next pick (7th round), and they needed to unload a salary.

    The fact that they turned #27 into three picks gave the ability to pull the trigger in the 4th for a punter most likely superior to any FA available.

    I am totally fine with this pick. Of course, the first shank in a clutch moment and I’ll be un-fine.

  41. Stanglassman Says:

    They had a 4th round grade on he and Stout. As they Spytek said ‘we had them neck and neck.’ TBBF is correct as soon as Stout was taken by the Ravens in the 4th the Bucs made their move. I wonder if they liked Stout slightly better? Seems like they would have said we had him the highest rated punter not the neck and neck commit if it were the case.
    Camarda has great directional, sky’s it and is a tremendous athlete. Easy power. Doesn’t kick it old style flat spiral. He holds it almost vertically and hits the side of the point and uses the energy of the ball like a spring off his foot. He’s going to be a weapon.

  42. Stanglassman Says:

    *The cap savings is a bonus not the reason. People are getting too hung up on that aspect. They got better at a crucial position.

  43. BucsFanSince1976 Says:

    Cap savings absolutely was the reason-the money they save by jettisoning Pinion will pay for all picks.

  44. Mr. Magoo Says:

    I wonder about all these expert draft parrots who proclaim 4th round is “too high” for [fill in blank] such as a punter (or kicker) or that 1st round is “too high” for a running back because they heard it spoken by some “expert” on TV once. These Couch GMs then repeat their phrase over and over for years on end like a good parrot. Nobody cares about your canned spam opinions, so stuff a cracker in it if that is the best you have. Real “experts” know when to risk breaking “the rules” and when not too. All that matters is will he be a good\great punter for the Bucs for years to come? We will find out pretty soon for this one.

  45. Bigtruck Says:

    I like the pick. Hopefully they took a guy who can star and make a difference on game day for the next 15 years.

  46. Admiral Redbeard Says:

    A 4th round pick (which means he gets a 4th round contract) was used on a guy that can be picked up at any local soccer field as an UDFA, so yeah, he actually DOES need to be a “Punt God”.

  47. Stanglassman Says:

    I would have though fans seeing a team like Baltimore who always drafts extremely well picking a punter before the Bucs might have given Jason the benefit of the doubt. Not happening.
    Some people love to display their ignorance on JBF thread board. It proves you really don’t know what you don’t know.

  48. Crickett Baker Says:

    I would never try to second guess all of the experts in that draft room. 😀 My favorite pick from all of the interviews is Rashaad White. He is the one that mentioned how his teammates had helped his game and he, theirs. I sure hope he makes it.

  49. steele Says:

    Thank you, Joe, for pointing out that the Bucs could have easily gotten Punt God himself in rd 6 or 7. And it would have been fun to watch Punt God boom 80 yarders for the Bucs. But no.

    Camarda not only has to do better than Punt God, he’ll have to be Ray Guy, to justify such a high pick.

  50. Bucsfan13 Says:

    The Special Teams coach is doing a press conference tomorrow. Please ask Keith Armstrong why he still has a job. He’s been shielded from criticism since he’s got here. Our ST has been near dead last since 2019. I know at least one of the Joes have been pounding the table for his firing.

  51. Tony Says:

    Maybe Brady told them he needed a punter? It’s possible. Then they could look into putting him in at WR & give him a try there.😀 Since Godwin will miss some time still.

  52. Tony Says:

    Brady going deep to Camarda TOUCHDOWN!

  53. Power of Pewter Says:

    Licht has such a good record drafting special team players, especially returners and kickers, fans needn’t be worried.