The Buffalo Bills will have a punting battle this offseason. There is no way around that fact with two punters already on the roster. But should it be these two guys?
We’ve analyzed it every which way we can and now it’s your turn to vote. Here are excerpts from all of our articles on the subject. Click the link to get the full info.
Corey Bojorquez analysis excerpt
(By Jeff Kantrowski)
Buffalo should move on from Corey Bojorquez. I’m not opposed to having another punting competition that includes Bojorquez but he’d have to drastically turn things around. Most damning are the statistics of when you need him the most. Over half his punts when the team was backed up in their own territory failed to reach the league average distance. And in the other zone considered, his short or “bad” punt ratio was several times higher than most of his peers. Bad punts can set you back, and Bojorquez has them far too frequently.
Read the entire article here with some brand new stats we define inside!
Kaare Vedvik discussion excerpt
(By Matt Warren)
Kaare Vedvik clearly has the tools to be a successful punter in the NFL. In college, he averaged 44.0 yards per punt in his senior year, a number higher than current Bills punter Corey Bojorquez. Opponents didn’t have many return yards against him, either, and he uncorked a 92-yard punt to top it off. He averaged 55.5 yards on two punts with a long of 58 and a net of 48.0 in the 2019 preseason for the Baltimore Ravens.
Read the entire article about Vedvik, including his place kicking and kickoff success, here.
Free-agent options at punter excerpt
(By Sean Murphy)
Sam Martin (Detroit Lions)
The 30-year-old Lions punter bested Bojorquez in both gross average (45.3) and net average (41.8), but he also allowed fewer return yards on fewer returned punts. Martin had 26 punts returned for just 130 yards while Bojorquez had only 18 punts returned for 157 yards.
Matt Bosher (Atlanta Falcons)
At the age of 32, Bosher is coming off an injury-marred year with the Falcons. He only punted nine times last year, as a groin injury kept him out of action for all but three games. If he’s fully healthy, Bosher would serve as an upgrade to Bojorquez, and given the fact that he spent much of the 2019 season on injured reserve, he could probably be had near the veteran’s minimum.
Britton Colquitt (Minnesota Vikings)
The eldest of the available bunch, Colquitt had a phenomenal season at 35 years old. Not one of his 59 punts went for a touchback—he was the only punter to accomplish that feat last year—and he was sixth in the league in net average at 42.6 yards per punt.
Lachlan Edwards (New York Jets)
The Jets punted more than any team last year, and Edwards was the man called upon in all 87 of those situations. Edwards was 12th in the league in net punting average (41.6), and while he allowed the fifth-most return yards of anyone, it makes sense given that he punted more than anyone, as well.
Matt Haack (Miami Dolphins)
A restricted free agent, Haack was with the Dolphins last season. Exactly one-third of his punts (23-of-69) were downed inside the 20, and he had 20 punts fair caught this year.
Read the entire scouting reports here
NFL Draft options at punter excerpt
(By Andrew Griffin)
Tier I
Braden Mann (Texas A&M)
The consensus best player at the position, Mann earned the Ray Guy Award during the 2018 college football season. Unfortunately, he regressed a bit during his senior year. Still, Mann was able to bounce back thanks to an impressive Senior Bowl, which may get him drafted.
Tier II
Michael Turk (Arizona State)
Joseph Charlton (South Carolina)
Tommy Townsend (Florida)
Read the entire article here with all the one-sentence scouting reports
Now it’s your turn. Take to the comments section to let us know what you want to do at punter this offseason.