Training Camp: Top Five Position Battles (#5)

Kicker

This is Bill Parcells favorite position, not. In all seriousness though, the job of kicking has become increasingly important as most teams have good return men and special teams units. Also, bad teams rely more on field position battles during the game. Missed field goals and bad kickoffs can ruin your mood and put your defense in a bad spot.

Jay Feely is the incumbent but we have seen that doesn't mean much to Parcells and Co. Feely was about as good as you can ask last year (21-23 FG's, the only two misses coming on the swamp of Heinz Field and the slipper pitch of Wembley, but we lost both of those games by 3). Feely's problem was kickoffs. He doesn't have the strongest leg and doesnt get many touchbacks. Because of that, he had to do a lot of pooch and squib kicks which are stupid and unsuccessful.

Playing the role of underdog is Dan Carpenter. He was signed as a free agent out of the University of Montana. He has a very strong leg and was quite good at FG's over fifty yards in college. The problem is his accuracy. He improved each year in college but is still not close to being equally as money as Feely. Plus, he is a rookie, so if he wins the job, we may have to deal with rookie jitters and mistakes which we really can't afford. He has a solid chance to win the job if he proves that he is accurate enough to be relied upon.

My Odds

Feely: 1-3
Carpenter: 4-1
Both: 10-1