Countdown To Kickoff - 2024 New Orleans Saints
Excerpts from an article by Luke Loffredo of Saints Wire on 8/20/24 as viewed at saintswire.usatoday.com
August 20th, 2024 - Blake Grupe - Number 19
We’ve got just 19 days left until the New Orleans Saints open up their 2024 regular season against the Carolina Panthers, which makes our player of the day kicker Blake Grupe, the current owner of the No. 19 jersey. Grupe has found himself in a kicking battle for the second year in a row, hoping to come out on top once again.
Let’s give a little bit of a background on the second-year pro and what we can expect from Grupe in 2024:
As the college football season concluded and the NFL draft rolled around, Grupe was regarded as one of the best kicker prospects in the country. After going undrafted in 2023 like most specialists, Grupe signed with the Saints, immediately entering into a kicking battle with former Pro Bowler Wil Lutz. The two competed all through camp until the end of the preseason, where Lutz was traded to the Denver Broncos crowning Grupe as the winner.
In his first season as the Saints’ place kicker, Grupe hit on 30 of 37 field goal tries (81%) with his long being 55. Although battling through some inconsistency, Grupe had some special moments in year one. In Week 5, Grupe earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after connecting on two 50-plus yard field goals and hitting on all four of his extra point tries.
Going into the 2024 season, Grupe is in another kicking competition this time with undrafted rookie Charlie Smyth. All throughout training camp the two have been pretty even as far as production which means it will likely go down to the wire when it comes to a decision. This was the case last season when Grupe got his shot, the only difference is now Grupe isn’t the young buck anymore. With one week left in the preseason, the room for error will only narrow meaning Grupe must do everything in his power to hold onto his job.
Full Article In Link Below:
https://saintswire.usatoday.com/202...ayer-of-the-day-19-blake-grupe-charlie-smyth/
Saints Kicker Blake Grupe Set 11 Saints Rookie All-Time Franchise Records, Tied 2 Saints Rookie All-Time Franchise Records, Set 3 Saints All-Time Franchise Record and Tied 2 Saints All-Time Franchise Records In His Rookie Season in 2023:
Eleven Saints Rookie Kicker Franchise Records Set:
1. Most FGs Made In A Single Game - 5
2. Most FGs Attempted - 37
3. Most FGs Made - 30
4. Most FGs Made From 40 or More Yards Out - 14
5. Most FGs Made From 50 or More Yards Out - 6
6. Most Touchbacks - 76
7. Most Kickoff Yardage - 5828
8. Highest Touchback Percentage - 83.5%
9. Highest Kickoff Average - 64.0 Yards ***(For Rookie Kickers Who Kicked In Every Game For The Saints During Their Rookie Season.)***
10.1st Rookie To Make 2 FGs of 50 or More Yards Out in a Single Game
11. 1st Rookie Kicker to Kick in 17 games in a single season
Two Saints Rookie Kicker Franchise Records Tied:
1. Most Made FGs between 40-49 Yards Out - 8
2. Percentage Of PATs (40 out of 40) - 100%
Three Saints Franchise Kicker Records Set:
1. FGs Made From 50 or More Yards Out In A Single Season - 6
2. Highest Career Touchback Percentage - 83.5%
3. Highest Career Kickoff Average - 64.0 Yards
Two Saints Franchise Kicker Records Tied:
1. 100% of PATs Made (40 out of 40)
2. Most FGs Made In A Single Game - 5
In addition to the above Records, Grupe has also Holds the Record for the 2nd Longest FG Made by a Rookie at 55 Yards and is Tied for 2nd in Franchise History for FGs Made in a Single Season of 40 Yards Out or More at 14. Grupe Scored the 2nd Most Points (130) for a Rookie in Saints Franchise History.
Excerpts from an article by Luke Loffredo of Saints Wire on 8/20/24 as viewed at saintswire.usatoday.com
August 20th, 2024 - Blake Grupe - Number 19
Countdown to Kickoff: Blake Grupe is the Saints Player of Day 19
We’ve got just 19 days left until the New Orleans Saints open up their 2024 regular season against the Carolina Panthers, which makes our player of the day kicker Blake Grupe, the current owner of the No. 19 jersey. Grupe has found himself in a kicking battle for the second year in a row, hoping to come out on top once again.
Let’s give a little bit of a background on the second-year pro and what we can expect from Grupe in 2024:
- Name (Age): Blake Grupe (25)
- Position: Kicker
- Height, weight: 5-foot-7, 156 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: N/A
- 2024 salary cap hit: $915,833
- College: Notre Dame
- Drafted: Undrafted in 2023 (New Orleans Saints)
- NFL experience: 2nd season
As the college football season concluded and the NFL draft rolled around, Grupe was regarded as one of the best kicker prospects in the country. After going undrafted in 2023 like most specialists, Grupe signed with the Saints, immediately entering into a kicking battle with former Pro Bowler Wil Lutz. The two competed all through camp until the end of the preseason, where Lutz was traded to the Denver Broncos crowning Grupe as the winner.
In his first season as the Saints’ place kicker, Grupe hit on 30 of 37 field goal tries (81%) with his long being 55. Although battling through some inconsistency, Grupe had some special moments in year one. In Week 5, Grupe earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after connecting on two 50-plus yard field goals and hitting on all four of his extra point tries.
Going into the 2024 season, Grupe is in another kicking competition this time with undrafted rookie Charlie Smyth. All throughout training camp the two have been pretty even as far as production which means it will likely go down to the wire when it comes to a decision. This was the case last season when Grupe got his shot, the only difference is now Grupe isn’t the young buck anymore. With one week left in the preseason, the room for error will only narrow meaning Grupe must do everything in his power to hold onto his job.
Full Article In Link Below:
https://saintswire.usatoday.com/202...ayer-of-the-day-19-blake-grupe-charlie-smyth/
Saints Kicker Blake Grupe Set 11 Saints Rookie All-Time Franchise Records, Tied 2 Saints Rookie All-Time Franchise Records, Set 3 Saints All-Time Franchise Record and Tied 2 Saints All-Time Franchise Records In His Rookie Season in 2023:
Eleven Saints Rookie Kicker Franchise Records Set:
1. Most FGs Made In A Single Game - 5
2. Most FGs Attempted - 37
3. Most FGs Made - 30
4. Most FGs Made From 40 or More Yards Out - 14
5. Most FGs Made From 50 or More Yards Out - 6
6. Most Touchbacks - 76
7. Most Kickoff Yardage - 5828
8. Highest Touchback Percentage - 83.5%
9. Highest Kickoff Average - 64.0 Yards ***(For Rookie Kickers Who Kicked In Every Game For The Saints During Their Rookie Season.)***
10.1st Rookie To Make 2 FGs of 50 or More Yards Out in a Single Game
11. 1st Rookie Kicker to Kick in 17 games in a single season
Two Saints Rookie Kicker Franchise Records Tied:
1. Most Made FGs between 40-49 Yards Out - 8
2. Percentage Of PATs (40 out of 40) - 100%
Three Saints Franchise Kicker Records Set:
1. FGs Made From 50 or More Yards Out In A Single Season - 6
2. Highest Career Touchback Percentage - 83.5%
3. Highest Career Kickoff Average - 64.0 Yards
Two Saints Franchise Kicker Records Tied:
1. 100% of PATs Made (40 out of 40)
2. Most FGs Made In A Single Game - 5
In addition to the above Records, Grupe has also Holds the Record for the 2nd Longest FG Made by a Rookie at 55 Yards and is Tied for 2nd in Franchise History for FGs Made in a Single Season of 40 Yards Out or More at 14. Grupe Scored the 2nd Most Points (130) for a Rookie in Saints Franchise History.