Riley Dixon enjoyed career season with Rams | Free Agent Spotlight

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Riley Dixon enjoyed career season with Rams | Free Agent Spotlight

In the sixth of a series spotlighting a handful of Rams players scheduled to become free agents, theRams.com examines punter Riley Dixon.

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Riley Dixon enjoyed career season with Rams | Free Agent Spotlight​

After moving on from longtime punter Johnny Hekker following the 2021 season, the Rams turned to another veteran in Riley Dixon as his replacement.

Dixon, in turn, gave Los Angeles a career-best season, averaging a career-high 48.4 yards per punt, also landing landing 19 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Now, after playing on a one-year deal last season, Dixon is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins March 15.

So, what's next for Dixon and the Rams?

L.A. could choose to re-sign Dixon. Beyond his career year in terms of yards-per-punt average – which was also second-highest in a single season in franchise history – he also did well as the primary holder on field goals for kicker Matt Gay, who made at least 93.3 percent of his field goals for the second-straight season.

If the Rams don't re-sign Dixon, they would likely go the route of free agency or the draft to find his replacement. They did have Brock Miller on their practice squad late in the 2022 season, but Miller was re-signed by the USFL's New Jersey Generals on Tuesday after playing for them last spring.

 

[den-the-coach]

Draft Michael Turk from Oklahoma and the punter position is set for the next dozen years.

 

[Ram Ts]

No way I spend any of our cap space on this punter. Draft a guy, bring in some cheap Ufa, rando Australians, etc and let them fight it out this summer for the job on the cheap.

 

[Mackeyser]

I see some have forgotten the heartbreak that comes with a punter who muffs holds and punts…

We can and should sign Riley and it’ll likely be affordable

We don’t need STs to fall apart because a punter gets the yips

 

[jrry32]

Dixon was pretty mediocre this year. Hekker, meanwhile, was one of the best in the NFL again. But I understand why we moved on. Needed the money.

Now, Matt Gay? Pay that man! We need to keep him. He has been one of the best kickers in the NFL since arriving here.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Dixon was steady. Not a guy that you had to worry about, and flawless as a holder.

That said, this team needs this position to be cheap. I love @den-the-coach suggestion of Turk.