Back In The Kicker Market
February 21st, 2023
Surely on super-thin ice.
If there’s a wall with writing on it at One Buc Palace, Super Bowl kicker Ryan Succop surely has his name there in bold, possibly in Arians red.
With the Bucs in a major salary cap crunch, already $50 million or so over next season’s cap, Joe can’t imagine the team holding on to an expensive kicker; Ryan Succop turns 37 in September and is coming off an average season.
Why would a team do that?
Both Super Bowl kickers this season started their careers with clubs not named the Eagles or Chiefs. Yes, you can find a kicker on the street if you know how to spot one.
That’s how the Bucs found Succop in September of 2020 when no other team wanted him. He had been without a team for more than five months and came to Tampa Bay cheap.
The best two NFC kickers over the past two seasons have been Matt Gay (Rams) and Jason Myers (Seattle). Gay was a Bucs reject and Myers was claimed on waivers by Todd Bowles’ Jets team in 2018 and proceeded to make the Pro Bowl that season before he signed with Seattle.
In January, Bowles talked publicly about Succop not having the range he’s seeking. It sounded like Bowles was saying goodbye to Succop, who was 2-of-7 from 50-plus yards last season.
Among 32 full-time NFL kickers (20 or more field goal attempts), Succop was one of only six kickers to convert less than 50 percent from that distance.
Bowels called Succop “efficient” on the Buccaneers Radio Network but said “we’ve got to be able to kick longer field goals than we’ve kicked.”
Joe is confident Succop will be on the chopping block soon so the Bucs can recoup $3.75 million in salary cap room.
And if they can’t find a cheap veteran kicker, then Joe thinks there’s a great chance Succop will be on the street again waiting to re-signed.
February 21st, 2023 at 11:45 am
Oh boy. Yes let’s go for another low floor high ceiling kicker instead of a guy that can get it almost 100% of the time from inside the 50.
Bravo Todd I can’t wait for the kicking carousel to be back in action when we pray whoever is kicking to make it from inside the 30 at this point.
February 21st, 2023 at 11:45 am
Follow Rachaad White on the bird app, the middle of last month he sent out a “Farewell 2-9” tweet, I knew Succops’ goose was cooked then. Could be wrong, White could be going to wear #33, but I could be wrong again and Succop is outta here.
February 21st, 2023 at 11:47 am
fans etc need to let jason draft punters and kickers. the fsu guy was one of those things, its a business with more failures than hits all around
February 21st, 2023 at 11:54 am
Licht did draft a Pro Bowl kicker in Gay, too bad he was a Pro Bowler for another team…
February 21st, 2023 at 11:56 am
Everyone wants to talk about cutting players like D. Smith, Fournette, Brate and Succop.
It is easier said than done. Once you cut a player you have to replace that player.
We already have 20-23 free agents to sign – as well as our draft class of 2023 – and will only have @ $35-40M to do so.
Not an easy task. This whole off season for the Bucs is like putting together a big complex puzzle that is missing several pieces.
You trade or make cute – now you have more free agents to sign. Succop is a good but not great kicker.
Maybe the proper move is to restructure his contract in order to lower his cap hit.
February 21st, 2023 at 11:57 am
Why didn’t we keep Jose Borregales around? Thought everyone had high hopes for him…
February 21st, 2023 at 11:58 am
They already signed a young kicker with a big leg back on Jan. 25th to a reserve/futures contract. I did a little research on him… he can in with Baltimore a couple years ago and made quite an impression, but he was behind Justin Tucker. Last year he was in IR in Jax. Jake Verity is his name. Keep an eye out.
February 21st, 2023 at 12:01 pm
Licht and kickers is peanut butter and mustard
February 21st, 2023 at 12:05 pm
Jake Moody hit a 50 yarder in one of the college all star games. Maybe get him with a late 6th round pick or 7th if available. Would not pick a kicker any earlier.
February 21st, 2023 at 12:06 pm
Bowels offensive strategy is to kick 50+ yarders for points. Nice.
February 21st, 2023 at 12:09 pm
@ darengibo
I watched a few XFL games this weekend. Was surprised to see Jose Borregales kicking for the Orlando Guardians…
His kickoff didn’t go far enough and it gave the ball to the opponent at the 45 yard line. Then he missed a pretty short field goal.
If you can’t get it done in the XFL…
February 21st, 2023 at 12:10 pm
“Why didn’t we keep Jose Borregales around?”
I saw him attempt one field goal in the XFL this weekend. He missed it.
February 21st, 2023 at 12:23 pm
Not being able to kick a FG longer than 49 yards is pretty lame tbh. Limits an already limited offense
February 21st, 2023 at 12:24 pm
Bucs need a kicker that can make kicks from a minimum of 50 yards.
February 21st, 2023 at 12:25 pm
Get me Chad Ryland or Harrison Mevis
February 21st, 2023 at 12:25 pm
We’ve had so many kickers before we settled on Succop I can’t remember them all.
February 21st, 2023 at 12:30 pm
Bowles called Succop ‘efficient’ on the Buccaneers Radio Network but said ‘we’ve got to be able to kick longer field goals than we’ve kicked.'”
…because Bowles is too chicken sh%t to go for it from the 40 yard line.
February 21st, 2023 at 12:46 pm
this says…i want to kick more FGs
February 21st, 2023 at 12:51 pm
LOL it’s not about being scared to go for it on 4th, but you want to have a safer bet when you send your FG kicker from >45 yards out, because a missed FG, punt & turnover on downs are the same thing. I’d rather have to delegate punter or kicker before being strapped to just punting because my kicker is questionable at best from distance.
February 21st, 2023 at 1:01 pm
We haven’t shown patience with some good kickers…..Gay & Santos come to mind…
Sure….Todd wants kickers who can kick 65 yard FGs….that’s what you need when you can’t move the ball & chicken out on 4th downs…..
February 21st, 2023 at 1:06 pm
Sasquatch, did some research. Verity seems like he will probably get a shot during the preseason. Seems like an ACL he got a couple of years ago has held him back. Should be fully healed by now. I would guess he’ll certainly be in the mix.
February 21st, 2023 at 1:10 pm
Succop was efficient and mostly reliable under 45 yards which was an upgrade for the team at that point in time. He made the kicks that needed to be made and it helped Tampa win a super bowl and go to the playoffs the past three years in a row. I am thankful for those points he did make. However, it’s obvious the Bucs need a stronger leg at that position.
There is no better time to make the change than now with an offense in transition, and what I presume will be a more conservative offensive play caller.
Thank you, Ryan!
February 21st, 2023 at 1:30 pm
More focus needs to be on getting the offense closer to the end zone. I don’t want to settle for field goals period but if we’re having to hit 50 plus yarders there’s something wrong with this picture
February 21st, 2023 at 1:37 pm
I am sure Verity is at one Buc place nailing fifty yarders. Hes only 25 and has a very strong leg. As usual with young kickers accuracy is mostly mental. He can do it all if needed kickoff, punt if ever needed.
February 21st, 2023 at 1:50 pm
Please don’t draft a kicker. You can find a cheaper option on the street. A few guys with promise always get cut near the end of camp. Is a kicker really going to make much difference next season?
February 21st, 2023 at 1:52 pm
I’d keep Succup. But then again, I’d keep BAs offense and wouldn’t need a kicker who has to consistently bail my arse out with 60 yard field goals.
February 21st, 2023 at 1:55 pm
Why not just offer him a pay cut. I’d bet he’d take it. Better to be an employed kicker than unemployed.
February 21st, 2023 at 2:04 pm
This tells you all you need to know about Bowles. He’s looking for field goals over touchdowns. Welcome back to the Tony Dungy era redux. The only difference is that Bowles doesn’t have a generational defense like Tony had.
February 21st, 2023 at 2:07 pm
I’m sure Licht has one on the board at 19 ready to select.
February 21st, 2023 at 2:25 pm
Let the punter kick. It won’t matter and he could hit long ones.
February 21st, 2023 at 2:32 pm
It would be nice to have a kicker who could reliably make 50 + yard field goals, but most kicks are from less than 50 yards, so I would prefer to have a kicker who can make those kicks with confidence. My how have attitudes have changed. It was not that long ago when the Bucs were desperate for a reliable kicker. They even invested two premium draft picks on kickers. I appreciate that Matt Gay has grown into the kicker the Bucs had hoped for, but he did miss from 49, 44, and 34 yards against the Falcon in 2019. Don’t even get me started about the chip shot he missed against the Giants. The Bucs need to think long and hard before cutting Succop.
February 21st, 2023 at 3:27 pm
Yikes! Yeah, if you ain’t making kicks in XFL, probably not a road back to NFL!
February 21st, 2023 at 3:58 pm
We do need to get younger, can’t wait to find out who stays and who goes.
February 21st, 2023 at 4:24 pm
This past season there were 30 kickers in the NFL who had 20 or more attempts. Succop ranked #23 (he made 31 of 38 for 81.6%). He makes $4.0 mil/year (3-year contract) and carries a 2023 CAP Hit of $4.5 mil with a Dead CAP of $750,000. If you look at positional spending, Succop is tied for 10th place for highest salaried kickers.
Bucs are strapped for $$$, and by releasing him they could save $3.7 mil on the salary CAP. Grab a young kicker for less than a mil & save $2.7 mil (plus) … which equates to signing say a backup QB like Blaine Gabbert or re-signing a DLineman like RNR or Gholston. It’s just business, not rocket science. Succop makes too much $$$ based on his performance (and he’s 37 years old to boot). No pun intended.
February 21st, 2023 at 5:37 pm
Perfect year to issue us a new rookie kicker now is the time!!! Remember we are setting up for an all important 2024. This years draft is critical and many of our aged players could be traded. We could always trade up in the second round. Fact is we need a kicker that can be counted on from 55 yards and Succop is not that man.
February 21st, 2023 at 5:38 pm
Christopher Dunn K North Carolina state record for longest field goal (57) touchbacks (89), while posting the second-highest punting average (42.3) NC State’s career scoring leader with (377) career points. That mark is tied for ninth in ACC history. NC State career record holder in field goals with (69). Has connected on all (170) of his PAT attempts – that is also a new school record. Ranks seventh in school history with a (.802) field goal percentage.
February 21st, 2023 at 6:02 pm
mistake
If you’re relying on a kicker kicking 50+ field goals for you to win, then you’re a loser. Accuracy on all distances is way more important.
How quickly so many Bucs fans forget the hell on earth of not having a good kicker. Think Winston remembers?
February 21st, 2023 at 8:59 pm
I like Succop but if you can’t hit a 50 yarder you’re a liability.
February 21st, 2023 at 9:47 pm
Time to let Succop go. Free up some cash. Borregales challenged last offseason and many thought he would get the nod.
February 23rd, 2023 at 7:44 am
Is Gramatica available