Factoid
Before the lockout, the Vikings signed a free agent kicker – Rhys Lloyd, previously of Carolina. But this isn’t a sign that Ryan Longwell is suddenly on thin ice.
Longwell is great on field goals, and he still has the range to hit kicks from 50-plus yards. He is not, however, very good on kickoffs, and that’s an area the Vikings could improve – they kick off a lot more than most teams.
Longwell hit only 5 of 98 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks last year. Lloyd, on the other hand, had 21 touchbacks while kicking off 26 fewer times. Only four kickers were better at producing touchbacks.
This leaves Carolina with a kickoff issue. It doesn’t want to use old fogey John Kasay on kickoffs – he doesn’t have enough pop and is one of the league’s oldest kickers. But they figure they can fill that void by finding a strong-legged youngster.
TOUCHBACK PERCENTAGE IN 2009
For kickers with at least 50 kickoffs.
KO TB TB%
73 28 39% Michael Koenen, ATL
77 29 38% David Buehler, DAL
78 28 36% Matt Prater, DEN
69 22 32% Olindo Mare, SEA
72 21 30% Rhys Lloyd, CAR
58 17 29% Sebastian Janikowski, OAK
64 17 27% Josh Scobee, JAC
101 27 27% Thomas Morstead, NO
80 21 26% Pat McAfee, IND
91 21 23% Stephen Gostkowski, NE
65 14 22% Neil Rackers, ARI
52 8 16% Josh Brown, STL
94 12 13% Mason Crosby, GB
82 10 12% Kris Brown, HOU
82 10 12% Jay Feely, NYJ
94 11 12% David Akers, PHI
69 8 12% Shayne Graham, CIN
73 8 11% Robbie Gould, CHI
72 7 11% Ryan Succop, KC
97 9 9% Nate Kaeding, SD
79 7 9% Dan Carpenter, MIA
68 6 9% Rian Lindell, BUF
81 7 9% Rob Bironas, TEN
63 5 8% Joe Nedney, SF
86 6 7% Lawrence Tynes, NYG
63 4 7% Jason Hanson, DET
98 5 5% Ryan Longwell, MIN
81 3 4% Jeff Reed, PIT
—Ian Allan
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