The Tennessee Titans have released longtime kicker Rob Bironas today, according to Jim Wyatt and subsequently announced by the team.
The move should not have come as a particular surprise. As I noted in the special teams positional analysis, Bironas was a below average kicker by current NFL standards on both field goals and punts for the second consecutive season. Combine that with above-average for a kicker scheduled total compensation of $3.125 million and the move makes perfect sense. Whether from already-on-the-roster Maikon Bonani or the inevitable forthcoming kicker addition(s), the Titans will likely be able to equal or exceed Bironas’s recent performance for significantly less money.
In a way, it’s really too bad. From 2005 through 2011, Bironas was a good to great NFL kicker. He was about as reliable and consistent as any kicker in NFL history this side of Matt Stover. His outstanding performance on long field goals was particularly important for team that struggled to execute on offense and while playing for coaches that were strong believers in the kicking game. Even when his kickoffs started to decline, he was still a good kicker because of that great long accuracy. Father Time is undefeated in the NFL, though the 36-year-old Bironas will probably be able to find another job even if his days as a top flight field goal and kickoff man are over.
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