3 Reasons why Cleveland Browns adding big-boot punters is pointless

Kickers kick

Kickers kick. Every kicker can kick 80 yards. But professional kickers kick the ball as far as the speed of the coverage team will allow them. Professional kickers know how to get the as close to the endzone as possible with different styles of kicks.

Signing kickers who hold have the longest kick in 2021 is pointless. The point is not to kick the ball as far as possible. The point is to put the opponent as close to their goal line as possible.

But would kicking the ball as far as possible not put the ball close to the opponent’s goal line? Some random guy might ask. Well, kicking the ball as far as possible is actually counter-productive to punting.

Kicking the ball 60-yards down the field allows the ball to land, get picked up and returned. The returner then has time to identify the coverage, dodge a couple of defenders running full speed and depending on the ability of his team to block, gain twenty to thirty yards on the return.

At which point, one has to ask the question. Would it not have been better for the kicker to simply kick the ball 40-to-50 yards forcing a fair catch or putting his teammates in position to make a tackle?

Congratulations you have finished football 101 on why kicking the ball as far as possible is pointless and why signing a guy who kicks the ball as far as possible is asinine. The next time you see a tweet extolling a punter’s ability to kick the ball eighty yards, hang your head high knowing you know more than that guy.

And if you are feeling saucy, have a good time while replying.