Bengals Add Crappy Punter

[HoosierCat]

PUNTER ADDED: The Bengals added a third punter to the mix Monday when they picked up punter Eddie Johnson on waivers from the Vikings. The 6-3, 236-pound Johnson, a second-year NFL player, joins veteran incumbent Kyle Richardson and rookie free-agent Kyle Larson in the punting derby. Johnson was selected by Minnesota in the sixth round of the 2003 Draft, and handled 56 of Minnesota’s 63 punts last season. He averaged 39.1 yards per kick with a net average of 32.6 yards, five touchbacks and 12 inside-the-20 kicks.

So, we add a guy whose average and net average are worse than Richardson's...?

[Kirkendall]

PUNTER ADDED: The Bengals added a third punter to the mix Monday when they picked up punter Eddie Johnson on waivers from the Vikings. The 6-3, 236-pound Johnson, a second-year NFL player, joins veteran incumbent Kyle Richardson and rookie free-agent Kyle Larson in the punting derby. Johnson was selected by Minnesota in the sixth round of the 2003 Draft, and handled 56 of Minnesota’s 63 punts last season. He averaged 39.1 yards per kick with a net average of 32.6 yards, five touchbacks and 12 inside-the-20 kicks.

So, we add a guy whose average and net average are worse than Richardson's...?

Isn't the saying around here, "In Marvin We Trust"?

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Do you think perhaps that Marvin *gasp* did this because the two guys he had in camp were being complacent? Because he wanted to push them?

[HoosierCat]

Do you think perhaps that Marvin *gasp* did this because the two guys he had in camp were being complacent? Because he wanted to push them?

In a word, no. Richardson was horribly inconsistent last season and knows he's on the bubble, while the kid they brought in is an undrafted free agent, and any UFA rook is always a longshot to make a team. And both of them know there's only going to be one punter on the opening day roster. I'm quite sure neither has any sense of complacency.

BTW in addition to lousy numbers and a habit of dropping snaps, Eddie Johnson is also recovering from surgery, per bengals.com.

[kevnz]

I'm not positive about this but I think EJ does kickoffs as well.

[HoosierCat]

I'm not positive about this but I think EJ does kickoffs as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Vikes gave him a try on kickoffs, considering their struggles on kicking last year, but if so it doesn't show up in his stats on nfl.com. If he does have a knack for booming kickoffs, that would be a plus, since Graham has struggled with getting distance, but he'd still have to win the punting job outright, which seems unlikely to say the least.

[schweinhart]

Line up Larson and Johnson and keep whoever kicks off farthest.

I finally figured out an undrafted rookie free agent doesn't count toward the rookie pool unless his cap hit exceeds the rookie minimum. So keeping Larson shouldn't impact the rookie pool much if he were signed.

[BengalSIS]

Well, I'm not worried about kickoffs. Last year was the first year Shayne did a season of kickoffs. He is workin hard this summer to improve those.

I would think they are just makin sure no one's leg is overused during preseason. There are a lot of return drills that need a punter. Maybe this is to let the two punters we are lookin at keep workin with holding and the PK and the third punter can work with special teams drills. I have no idea since I haven't talked to Shayne, but I know it's always tough to get the punter for holding and punting to returners. Having a third punter in camp would certainly help with that.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Well, I'm not worried about kickoffs. Last year was the first year Shayne did a season of kickoffs. He is workin hard this summer to improve those.

I would think they are just makin sure no one's leg is overused during preseason. There are a lot of return drills that need a punter. Maybe this is to let the two punters we are lookin at keep workin with holding and the PK and the third punter can work with special teams drills. I have no idea since I haven't talked to Shayne, but I know it's always tough to get the punter for holding and punting to returners. Having a third punter in camp would certainly help with that.

Sis makes a good point here. I didn't think of it in those terms.

[HoosierCat]

Howdy again, SIS. Great to hear Shayne has kept at the kickoff thing (not that I expected anything else). I'm sure he'll be better at it this year.

Re the punter, I've heard the same theory bandied about, and it makes some sense. I'd just rather buy an extra ball-hurling machine and use the roster slot on a position like DT.

[BengalSIS]

Howdy again, SIS. Great to hear Shayne has kept at the kickoff thing (not that I expected anything else). I'm sure he'll be better at it this year.

Re the punter, I've heard the same theory bandied about, and it makes some sense. I'd just rather buy an extra ball-hurling machine and use the roster slot on a position like DT.

Hey Joisey!

...unless all our positions are full going into camp, I don't think this guy is keepin anybody else out. As for the machine, maybe. But why not give a guy who looked AMAZING comin out of college another shot. Some of the best kickers have horrible first years. It could have been an ego thing, not being prepared enough because of underestimating the differences between NFL and college. It won't hurt us to have another leg in practice, and if he still sucks...no biggie...cut him. But sometimes, you find a diamond.