The Search for a new Punter in 2022 Thread

[den-the-coach]

The Los Angeles Rams released their greatest punter in Ram history after their Super Bowl Victor in Johnny Hekker which began the search for his replacement. Hekker was very special in so many ways and all of us will miss what he brought to the table, but now a new era in punting will begin and the Rams have settled on two men, one with experience and a similar background to Hekker and the other a decorated Kicker from the University of Texas that began punting the last year and a half and opened some eyes.


Riley Dixon seems like the perfect replacement, he’s a veteran that Special Teams Coach Joe DeCamillis drafted when he was with the Denver Broncos back in 2016. Dixon is similar to Hekker as an athlete, played QB in High School plus was a place kicker too at the Syracuse. Dixon has put up solid stats does a decent job of placing the football inside the 20 and is an upper echelon holder and I realize that does not seem like that is important, but Dixon has held for kickers that have been top shelf in Brandon McManus in Denver & Graham Gano with the New York Football Giants. Dixon IMO, might actually be an upgrade over Hekker as a Holder, which will ensure a smooth transition for Matt Gay, who was an all pro last year. One major knock on Dixon is he’s had 4 punts blocked in the last 5 years and IMO, that’s concerning, but Dixon does check all the other boxes plus DeCamillis knows him, which could be an asset too like Deep Snapper Matt Orzech.


Cameron Dicker made some huge kicks at Texas, I remember seeing Dicker as a freshman playing against rival Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, drilling a 45 yard field goal to win the game for the Longhorns and I felt he was going to be a very special kicker. Dicker was, but the constant turnover in Texas at Head Coach did not do him any favors, with the exception of in 2020 when the Texas punter went down with an injury and Dicker filled in for the last couple of games and did well enough to earn double duty this season and opened some eyes with a total of 55 punts overall with an average of 46.3 per punt. However, in his first full year as punter punted 47 times for 2,200 yards for an average of 46.8 yards per punt, the third-best single-season average in program history … had 16 punts of 50-plus yards, 11 punts inside the 20 and 21 fair catches. Dicker had one punt blocked, but in his only year punting was right up there with the top collegiate punters and was a Ray Guy semifinalist too.


Now some have posted this will not be a battle, that special teams coach Joe DeCamillis drafted Dixon and that Dicker will have an uphill battle, however, if Dicker can showcase the ability to have a bigger leg, he might be able to beat out Dixon especially because the Rams will have him longer and at a more affordable price. Dicker also offers a nice option at kicker if something happens to Gay,, but in fairness Dixon did place kick in college too and the Rams also need to see how Dicker handles being a holder as again some will think that is not a big deal, but Punter Cory Bojorquez struggled in that area and is one of the reasons they let him go in Buffalo and he is no longer in Green Bay, so it does factor in.


Overall, it should be an interesting battle and I am good either way. I watched quite a bit of Dixon with the New York Giants and after the release of Hekker I felt strongly because of the DeCamillis tie plus a similar background to Hekker right down to the red hair, Dixon would be on the Rams radar after his release and thus the Rams signed him. But there is quite a bit to like about Cameron Dicker, I felt he was special when I watched him kick and quite frankly I would be excited if he was able to win the job. Well, as excited one can get about a punter.

 

[fearsomefour]

Just as important as the distance of the punt is the direction control for the coverage scheme etc.
Should be an interesting battle.

 

[Ram Ts]

The holder issue is going to be a huge factor. For Dicker to have any chance, he needs to immediately have great results in that area and completely eliminate that issue from factoring into the punter decision by the Rams. If he can do that, then his PK ability as an emergency backup to Gay potentially gives him a leg up . It will then come down to truly who is the best for inside 20, hang time and getting kick away without being blocked.

If he can’t, then this competition will be over very quickly in Dixon’s favor.

 

[den-the-coach]

Just as important as the distance of the punt is the direction control for the coverage scheme etc.
Should be an interesting battle.

Agreed, both punters seemed to do well in that area, in fact, being in Upstate New York watching Dixon over the years, I felt like Hekker during his early Ram years, Dixon was extremely good and I understood why they signed him.

Dicker did an outstanding job in that area for the Longhorns too, 21 fair catches showcasing that he doesn't outkick his coverage. Now, one has to surmise that Dicker would have to show much better for the Rams to go with the younger guy as with this group the Rams might go the conventional route with the veteran Dixon, however, the Rams are anything but conventional.

 

[den-the-coach]

The holder issue is going to be a huge factor.

If he can’t, then this competition will be over very quickly in Dixon’s favor.

Great Point here and as I communicated Dixon is very accomplished as a holder. Watching him with the Giants I pointed that out to my wife several times on how well Dixon places the ball and spins it so the laches are away from the kicker.

Dicker has never held being that he's been a place kicker too, but he's an excellent athlete and I'm hoping they give him an opportunity to hold because the Rams could just have Dicker kick & punt and rest Gay throughout preseason.

 

[den-the-coach]

 

[CGI_Ram]

Great topic, @den-the-coach

He definitely has a “chill” about him.

A rookie holder scares me, even if he shows early success doing it.

 

[oldnotdead]

Dicker is PS level at this point. No way I see them putting the fate of their season on a raw as can be rookie.

They will roll with Dixon who I have very little faith in. There are reasons he didn't stick with two different teams both of whom had ample time to look at him. Dixon screams average when you look at his performance. They could just as eaily stuck with Hekker one more year. IMO he's a downgrade until he proves otherwise, which I hope he does.

 

[TheTackle]

Dixon will be the day one starter baring a seismic camp from Dicker. Note there is practically no way to write that without a pun! I could see Dicker winning the job later in the season once stashed on the PS

 

[Ram65]

Sounds like a good competition.

Is there a rule that the punter has to hold for the placekicker?

 

[den-the-coach]

Is there a rule that the punter has to hold for the placekicker?

No, however, around the NFL punters now seem to be the holders for the most part because of the hand eye coordination required. There was a time where it usually the backup QB, but now around the NFL punters are usually the holders.

 

[den-the-coach]

Dicker is PS level at this point. No way I see them putting the fate of their season on a raw as can be rookie.

They will roll with Dixon who I have very little faith in. There are reasons he didn't stick with two different teams both of whom had ample time to look at him. Dixon screams average when you look at his performance. They could just as eaily stuck with Hekker one more year. IMO he's a downgrade until he proves otherwise, which I hope he does.

IDK, first off I understand you thinking they won't go with a rookie, especially one that does not have much experience punting, but if he showcases what he did collegiately last season, Dicker has a good chance because a great leg is a great leg.

I disagree on Dixon, the reason he left Denver was because the Giants signed him as a free agent to a lucrative deal, it's not like the Broncos cut him. On top of that Dixon has 441 career punts with an average of 45.3 with 152 of those punts pinned inside the 20. Granted he's had 5 punts blocked over his career, however, none last year and is an upper echelon holder that was a high school QB too. Sorry, I like both of these guys and I'm a tad more optimistic.

 

[Ram65]

No, however, around the NFL punters now seem to be the holders for the most part because of the hand eye coordination required. There was a time where it usually the backup QB, but now around the NFL punters are usually the holders.

I didn't think it was a rule. The shift from backup/starter QB's to punters are the dominant holder around the NFL I imagine has to do more with practice time together. The punter, long snapper, and placekicker practice separately from the rest of the team. They have more time to practice together. Now, backup QBs don't have to take time away from other their main practice duties and scout team responsibilities.

Dicker has a good chance because a great leg is a great leg.

That's my thinking. The Rams will find out soon enough that Dicker is a liability as a holding. I don't think he would be but, they have to see him do it constantly. Lots of factors to consider. Rams would have control of Dicker at a lower cost for four years. He also can fill in as the placekicker as Hekker has done in case of injury.

It looks like good a competiton. I don't have a preference and am looking for the best punter for the Rams.

 

[den-the-coach]

I didn't think it was a rule. The shift from backup/starter QB's to punters are the dominant holder around the NFL I imagine has to do more with practice time together. The punter, long snapper, and placekicker practice separately from the rest of the team. They have more time to practice together. Now, backup QBs don't have to take time away from other their main practice duties and scout team responsibilities.



It looks like good a competiton. I don't have a preference and am looking for the best punter for the Rams.

Excellent on the time spent together, I'm sure that is a major factor. Also it's funny, I felt strongly that the Rams could sign Dixon after the Giants released him in a salary related move. Dixon had been with DeCamillis in Denver plus had holder skills & was a high school QB like Hekker. FWIW, Dixon was a place kicker for Syracuse in college, so he could place kick too in case of injury.

However, I watched Cameron Dicker play as a freshman and felt he was a special kicker, shocked he didn't get drafted as a kicker, but I'm interested to see how he handles the punting duties and I'm good with either Dixon or Dicker.

 

[Alaskan Ram]

If Dicker can get it up and keep it up with the right movement and placement before it comes back down - - there should be plenty satisfaction on special teams. And FWIW, the wife said she's not sure if Dixon last night.

 

[Rams43]

I don’t have a horse in this race for Rams punter.

But I must say that Rams seem to have positioned themselves for a healthy and robust competition there. Always a very good thing.

As an aside, after early season ST disappointments last year, I must say that DeCamillis seems to have a VERY nice handle on all aspects of his ST units. Turns out that he was yet another good hire by McVay.

Hell, after 5 full years in the books I think Bonamego was the only weak hire by McVay. A remarkable record by the young coach.

 

[CGI_Ram]

The shift from backup/starter QB's to punters are the dominant holder around the NFL I imagine has to do more with practice time together. The punter, long snapper, and placekicker practice separately from the rest of the team. They have more time to practice together. Now, backup QBs don't have to take time away from other their main practice duties and scout team responsibilities.

That makes a lot of sense.

 

[den-the-coach]

Hell, after 5 full years in the books I think Bonamego was the only weak hire by McVay. A remarkable record by the young coach.

I would agree there and now Bonamego is now at Iowa State. Not going to hold that hire against McVay. That year in 2020 there were not many ST Coaches available as with some of the coaching changes, they new Head Coaches kept some of the incumbent special team coaches and IMO with a rookie DC in Brandon Staley at the time, IMO, McVay did not want to hire a young inexperienced special team coach and thus went with Bonamego, but quickly correctly that with replacing him right after the season,.

 

[AvengerRam]

The only certainty is that our kicking/punting depth chart will consist of players with last names that make pre-teen boys snicker.

 

[den-the-coach]

The only certainty is that our kicking/punting depth chart will consist of players with last names that make pre-teen boys snicker.