We don’t have a proven kicker

Dan Bailey came here as the most accurate kicker in NFL history IIRC.

That went well.

Veteran, draft pick, dudes off the street, the Vikings have shown for years they can F up the kicking game any way imaginable.  

It's worrisome, but it's always worrisome. And not just on our team. Teams either have a star at kicker or they're scrambling like we are.

Joseph has bounced around a few teams but he's been close to sticking each time. His numbers look pretty good. Riley was generally considered the 2nd best kicker in the draft. He wasn't drafted but most thought he would be. So it should be a legit battle. My money's on Joseph though. 

Mostly, we can't let Zimmer get in their heads. His overreaction to Carlson is why we don't have one of the best young kickers in the league right now. Raiders just tendered Carlson at the 2nd round. That tells you what they think of him. 

Well, it is the Raiders...

@"MaroonBells" said: It's worrisome, but it's always worrisome. And not just on our team. Teams either have a star at kicker or they're scrambling like we are.

Joseph has bounced around a few teams but he's been close to sticking each time. His numbers look pretty good. Riley was generally considered the 2nd best kicker in the draft. He wasn't drafted but most thought he would be. So it should be a legit battle. My money's on Joseph though. 

Mostly, we can't let Zimmer get in their heads. His overreaction to Carlson is why we don't have one of the best young kickers in the league right now. Raiders just tendered Carlson at the 2nd round. That tells you what they think of him. 

The wilfs should spend another few million and build a kicker training center that is way the fuck out in st cloud,   the only time our stable of kickers comes to the cities is on game days and travel days,  once they are in another city they need to be kept in a separate hotel from Zimmer....as little contact as possible from the PK Killer,  or maybe the Extra Point Assassin?

Screw it, just dont kick. Other than kickoffs, dont kick. You gotta risk it to get the biscuit, right?

Mostly, we can't let Zimmer get in their heads. His overreaction to Carlson is why we don't have one of the best young kickers in the league right now. Raiders just tendered Carlson at the 2nd round. That tells you what they think of him. 

Uh, the kicker's job is to make FGs and Carlson missed two from like 45 or 48 yards and then completely choked on a 35 FG to win the game in OT.

I find it funny that we keep seeing comments about "can't let Zimmer get in their head"...  if the guy is that mentally weak he shouldn't be kicking in the NFL.  As you said, kickers around the league have good and bad seasons and bounce around from team to team.  Are all these other head coaches getting in their kickers heads?

Bottom line, there is no guarantee that if Carlson stayed here, he would have had success.  It's time to move on from it. 

@"Wetlander" said:

Mostly, we can't let Zimmer get in their heads. His overreaction to Carlson is why we don't have one of the best young kickers in the league right now. Raiders just tendered Carlson at the 2nd round. That tells you what they think of him. 

Uh, the kicker's job is to make FGs and Carlson missed two from like 45 or 48 yards and then completely choked on a 35 FG to win the game in OT.

I find it funny that we keep seeing comments about "can't let Zimmer get in their head"...  if the guy is that mentally weak he shouldn't be kicking in the NFL.  As you said, kickers around the league have good and bad seasons and bounce around from team to team.  Are all these other head coaches getting in their kickers heads?

Bottom line, there is no guarantee that if Carlson stayed here, he would have had success.  It's time to move on from it. 

"We don’t have a proven kicker"

...we've said, throughout this century....

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Wetlander" said:

Mostly, we can't let Zimmer get in their heads. His overreaction to Carlson is why we don't have one of the best young kickers in the league right now. Raiders just tendered Carlson at the 2nd round. That tells you what they think of him. 

Uh, the kicker's job is to make FGs and Carlson missed two from like 45 or 48 yards and then completely choked on a 35 FG to win the game in OT.

I find it funny that we keep seeing comments about "can't let Zimmer get in their head"...  if the guy is that mentally weak he shouldn't be kicking in the NFL.  As you said, kickers around the league have good and bad seasons and bounce around from team to team.  Are all these other head coaches getting in their kickers heads?

Bottom line, there is no guarantee that if Carlson stayed here, he would have had success.  It's time to move on from it. 

Sure, you'd love your 21 year old rookie kicker to come in to the NFL with all the mental toughness of Dan Campbell, starting down Zimmer and eating kneecaps and all that, but the truth is they rarely do. 

Yes, cutting him was understandable. I think all of us were pissed at the kid, but looking back, cooler heads should've prevailed. And I'd be saying that now if I were the one who made the decision. Lesson learned, right? Hopefully. 

Carlson was a draft pick. The best kicker in the 2018 draft. A pick we traded up for. He should've been given a little more rope, because clearly there was nothing fundamentally wrong with him. He's been nothing short of amazing in Raiderville. 

Who knows the root of our kicker woes. But if I'm looking for suspects, I start in Mike's office. 

Special team players (Kickers) are well special---Zim needs to give them plenty of hugs and stuffed animals so they don't wilt when called upon to do their jobs.