Saints PK Wil Lutz had 'probably the best kicking workout' Sean Payton has seen (2 Viewers)

[darkhornet]

People have said he wasn't great in college but maybe it wasn't his fault. Bad long snapper, bad holder, bad protections, we don't know. If it's the best kicker workout SP has ever seen that's pretty impressive, because you know he's seen a lot.

That's the truth

 

[VinSaint]

I am not sure if its our inability to scout kickers, or maybe coaching, but man, what any of us would give for some stability at the position, right?

What exactly is there to "scout"? You either make 'em or miss 'em, right?

Yes, we've had numerous kickers come through here since 2006. Meanwhile, go ask the Dolphins how many QBs they've had during that same time frame compared to our one.

It is what it is. Payton likes what he sees as a better option than Forbath. Considering how shaky Forbath was last year, that's good enough for me.

 

[lapaz]

Does anyone know how Lutz did in training camp, as in how many made and missed FGs? Also, his one miss in preseason was 50+. Does anyone know how much over 50 it was?

 

[LoE]

Well this was a pleasant surprise. Never saw this one coming.

 

[El Caliente]

What exactly is there to "scout"? You either make 'em or miss 'em, right?

Yes, we've had numerous kickers come through here since 2006. Meanwhile, go ask the Dolphins how many QBs they've had during that same time frame compared to our one.

It is what it is. Payton likes what he sees as a better option than Forbath. Considering how shaky Forbath was last year, that's good enough for me.

I see what your saying, but there must be more to it than that. If that was the case that Aguayo kid in TB would still be consistent, right? If that was the case, your success in college would translate over to the NFL, right? There must be more to it than can you make it, or miss it.

I do agree with you though, maybe it is just luck.

 

[Great Dane]

I smell a Harbaugh brothers conspiracy..... John is helping his brother Jim getting back at SP.......

 

[Marlboro Man]

Well, the kid's young and can still get better at his craft. Wish him well. I have some things I've been struggling with lately with all this Kapernick stuff and the NFL and other teams and players that may cause me to walk away from the NFL and football. It's a very difficult decision because this is my favorite sport and I bleed Black and Gold, but I just can't support this kind of disrespect from this generation any longer nor can I continue to support it. I'm hoping to end this tug of war with myself by the first week of the season and announce whether or not I will close all my forum accounts and walk away or stay a fan of the team of my youth and of my favorite sport. Sorry to put this here but it's been weighing on me now for several weeks. You can red thumb me all you want, it doesn't matter and will not influence my decision.

 

[duckjr78]

Payton's last "Best *position X* workout I've ever seen" was Delvin Breaux, so, here's to hoping that the good juju keeps on keepin' on........

 

[nflsaintsfan]

Of course he will make it sound like he has found the best kicker since Adam Vinatieri (Undrafted from SD State 1996)

 

[SoggyBottomBoy]

Bold move. I kinda like the moxie. And it wasn't like I felt comfortable with Forbath or Barth (well, a little more with Barth). Either way, I was going to be fretting kicks anyway.

 

[Pdlc]

When he misses his first kick half the board will turn on him

 

[SAINTSFAN]

When he misses his first kick half the board will turn on him

only half?

 

[VinSaint]

I see what your saying, but there must be more to it than that. If that was the case that Aguayo kid in TB would still be consistent, right? If that was the case, your success in college would translate over to the NFL, right? There must be more to it than can you make it, or miss it.

I do agree with you though, maybe it is just luck.

What I mean is, kicker is the position where I don't think "a change in scenery" really makes that big of a difference. You either have it right now or you don't. And by "it", I mean confidence. There's not much more to scout than that, IMO.

Confidence is huge for any athlete but especially kicker. Physically, there's no difference between a kick in practice and one to win the Super Bowl. It's the same motion either way. It's the pressure though that gets to these guys, much the same way it does a professional golfer. At that level, they all have the mechanics down cold. It's how well those mechanics hold up in the moment of truth.

Remember how clutch Hartley was in the 2010 playoffs? Every kick was right down the middle. No doubt whatsoever. Adam Vinatieri and our own Morten Anderson are two of the best all-time kickers in NFL history, IMO, for this very reason. They were clutch when it mattered most.

Remember back in early 2000s, Martin Grammatica was with the Bucs? There was a reason his nickname coming out of college was "automatica" Grammatica. He simply did not miss a kick. Then he got injured and suddenly, he couldn't find any consistency whatsoever. He was never the same after that.

I knew when the Saints signed him later on that that was a bad move. Time will tell about this Lutz kid.

 

[Saints318]

here is a fun trip through memory lane since 2006:
(I may have missed a few)

John Carney
Billy Cundiff
Martin Gramatica
Olindo Mare
Taylor Mehlhaff
Garrett Hartley
John Kasay
Shayne Graham
Zach Hocker
Kai Forbath

+
Hopkins
Dimke
Scobee
Lutz

It's just 14 in 10 years.

 

[TheRealJRad]

If his first kick isn't dead center of the uprights half the board will turn on him

fify