The Bucs had a veteran placekicker, they were just trying to do better. There was an issue with the percentages FGs of 50+ yards. The Veteran kicker had the NFL's 2nd longest game winning FG in the record books.
But he also had a nagging injury throughout the preseason, and he lost out on a chance to compete for his job, which everyone considered HIS job all along. In the end, Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut ties with Matt Bryant, and went with new kicker Mike Nuggent, expensive Free Agent kicker… Mike Nuggent.
We all know that move backfired on the Bucs, because the new kicker bombed. Instead of consistancy, the Bucs were forced to play catchup with free agent kickers, but then on the 3rd try found Connor Barth, resident injured reserve kicker who is the cause of the mess Tampa Bay is in today!
So the Bucs have come full circle, they have a veteran kicker of 10 seasons in Lawrence Tynes! But in an effort to bring in competition, the Bucs signed rookie from Illinois Derek Dimke.
Who?
He's no stranger in the Chicago area, as Dimke nailed 85% of his FG kicks, and after last week's preseason game, he is no stranger to Bucs defensive players after aborting a would be kickoff return for a TD with a horse collar tackle that made this site's highlight film!
So who do the Bucs go with? Tynes or made, and missed, some big kicks with the Giants? Or the new kid who nailed all three FGs for the Bucs he attempted, including a 45 yarder, and "the tackle". Both represent an unknown, but the biggest upside belongs to Dimke, the 23 year old from Rockford Illinois.
We don't know what his LONG can be. We have no clue what his % over 50 yards will be, or how good (or bad) he can be in a pressure situation, say in a Conference championship game.
Or Superbowl.
Of course, there are still three preseason games left to kick for, so hopefully the Bucs go with the right "gut" call this time.
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