Gano Cut - Cundiff Signed/Cut - Kai Forbath Signed

frankcal20 · Post by **frankcal20** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:06 am

Here's a link to the story

http://washingtonexaminer.com/redskins- ... DzIXsUz_1U

cleg · Post by **cleg** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:09 am

Gano was cut? I thought they brought Cundiff in to compete. If true, I have a bad feeling about this - like David Akers.

skinpride1 · Post by **skinpride1** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:19 am

This move sounds like coaches want better performance here and cundiff is a former pro bowler. See how this works out.

emoses14 · Post by **emoses14** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:33 am

Not at all jazzed about signing Cundiff and cutting Gano. This has to be a competition signing for this last week or game. Gano is better than Cundiff in every possible way other than extra points (Gano had one miss, Cundiff had none).

THAT INCLUDING 5 BLOCKS THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH GANO!!!!

This is insane if true.

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:37 am

This makes no sense at all.

chiefhog44 · Post by **chiefhog44** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:38 am

Billy Cundiff? Doesn't this guy suck?

The next release should be Danny Smith. So tired of having one special teams gaffe each game. What a pud

Mississippiskinsfan2 · Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:43 am

Did not see this coming

cleg · Post by **cleg** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:53 am

This is the first move since Shanahan has been here that I am totally against. I just have a feeling Gano is going to go to some other team and develop into a pro bowler and we will continue to be plagued by this position.

Deadskins · Post by **Deadskins** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:57 am

cleg wrote:This is the first move since Shanahan has been here that I am totally against. I just have a feeling Gano is going to go to some other team and develop into a pro bowler and we will continue to be plagued by this position.

Totally agree. I was surprised when I saw Cundiff had gotten cut, but I thought it would be some desperate team that picked him up. Totally stupid to cut a young kicker with as strong a leg as Gano. He was just starting to come into his own. :evil:

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:04 am

Well...

After doing some READING.... <--- i didn't comprehend it correctly (edit) lol

So.... #shrug

langleyparkjoe · Post by **langleyparkjoe** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:09 am

Chris Luva Luva wrote:
So.... #shrug

*shrug*

i'm wit cll

DarthMonk · Post by **DarthMonk** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:25 am

Well ... I'm bummed but we'll see. Hope this doesn't bite us in the backsinde.

ESPN first reported the news. Cundiff's agent has since confirmed the news on Twitter.

"I would like to thank the Redskins organization for the 3 years I spent with them," Gano wrote on his Twitter account Tuesday morning. "I will miss my teammates and I wish you the best of luck!"

The Baltimore Ravens released Cundiff on Sunday in favor of undrafted rookie Justin Tucker. Cundiff made the Pro Bowl in 2010 with Baltimore, but good will dissipated after he missed a 32-yard-field goal with 11 seconds left in the Ravens' 23-20 loss to New England in the AFC championship game in January. Watch video of the miss: here.

The Redskins had been patient with Gano, who was entering his third full season with the team. He showed signs of rewarding that by making 15 of his final 16 field-goal attempts last season (the one miss was blocked).

Gano, 25, made 86 percent of his field goals last season, excluding the five attempts that were blocked.

"I thought his blocks weren’t his fault, so therefore there is some undue criticism," coach Mike Shanahan said Monday.

Gano has a strong leg on kickoffs, but coaches constantly sought from him greater mental toughness and consistency. He did not attempt a field goal during the preseason; Rackers tried the Redskins' only two attempts.

Cundiff, 32 made only 76 percent (28 of 37) of his field goals last season. He was 8-of-15 from beyond 40 yards. He is 1-for-9 from 50 yards or longer over the last three seasons. Gano, meanwhile, was 4-of-6 from 50 yards or longer in 2011.

Cundiff's 40 touchbacks last regular season tied the NFL single-season record.

In discussing Cudiff's release from the Ravens on Monday, Gano credited Cundiff for helping him change from a three-step run-up to a two-step approach. Cundiff beat Gano out for the Ravens' kicking job in 2009.

DarthMonk

riggofan · Post by **riggofan** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:32 am

Here is Graziano's take:

But kicker is really an eye-of-the-beholder thing, and Mike Shanahan must see something in Cundiff that he likes. Cundiff was a Pro Bowler in 2010, when he hit 89.7 percent of his field goals. And over the past two years, he's 53-of-59 on field goals of less than 50 yards and leads the NFL in touchbacks. Last year, he was 28-for-37 on field goals -- a more pedestrian 75.7 percent that compares closely with Gano's 75.6 and with Cundiff's career percentage of 76.7. But Cundiff was 1-for-6 from beyond 50 yards while Gano was 4-for-6 from that distance.

Cundiff did also, of course, famously miss a 32-yard field goal that would have tied last year's AFC Championship Game and sent the Ravens to overtime against the Patriots for a chance to go to the Super Bowl.

So what to make of this? Cundiff is more reliable inside the 50, which matters more than the ability to boom the occasional 50-yarder. But the main difference is on kickoffs, where 83 of Cundiff's 154 kicks (53.8 percent) have resulted in touchbacks over the last two years while just 40 of Gano's 144 (27.8 percent) have done the same. That's the part that matters most to coaches, who know kickers are eventually going to break their hearts on field goals but really want them to deliver in terms of field position. That's got to be the main reason Cundiff is the Redskins' new kicker while Rackers and Gano are looking for work.

I'm a little torn on this one myself. I was hoping with Gano we would finally groom a young kicker who would be here for a long time. But I still feel that Gano cost us a couple games last year. Not sure I felt any more confidence in him going into the season.

Irn-Bru · Post by **Irn-Bru** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:38 am

Whoa, big move. Can't say I'm happy to see Gano go; he was improving consistently and has a big leg.

I hope the coaches know something about Cundiff — or Gano — that we don't.

oneman56 · Post by **oneman56** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:43 am

Kickoffs, with the new rules, seems like an odd thing to value more than FG distance capabilities. I haven't followed Cundiff all that much or Rackers either but if there was going to be a change I think i'd have preferred Rackers. Cundiff's career FG % is the same as Gano's and his kicking from beyond 40, it sounds, is shaky at best...once he gets beyond 50 it's a miracle if he makes it. I don't get this change.

markshark84 · Post by **markshark84** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:54 am

Not a good move at all. I see a David Akers type thing happening with Gano.

This just makes no sense. Cut a younger, better kicker for a lesser, older one......

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:58 am

markshark84 wrote:Not a good move at all. I see a David Akers type thing happening with Gano.

This just makes no sense. Cut a younger, better kicker for a lesser, older one......

1. I think the Akers thing is a bit much...
2. Gano is better from long distance, Cundiff is better from mid-range/kick offs. So "better" is subjective.

Everyone lost their mind when we cut Gafney... FYI, the Patriots just cut him too, he didn't even last to the final round of cuts. :lol:

Let's not overreact.

frankcal20 · Post by **frankcal20** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:00 am

I wonder if the Coaches feel that Cundiff get's better height on his kicks and is more accurate in placement of his kicks. I really wanted to see Gano grow with the team but if they feel they've got a guy now that can pooch it to the 5 yd line and give our gunners time to get down there to stop teams inside the 20 yd line, then I get it. I know they are considered similar in terms FG% but the stats are clear that Gano has a stronger leg and has hit longer range FG%

SkinsJock · Post by **SkinsJock** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:02 am

Gano, Rackers or Cundiff - not really much difference

I really hope that all of them have a lot of success as kickers

all that really matters is that Cundiff does a good job here this season

Irn-Bru · Post by **Irn-Bru** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:06 am

SkinsJock wrote:Gano, Rackers or Cundiff - not really much difference IMO

my 2 cents

In terms of what they can do for us this year, I agree.

In the bigger picture, Gano at least appeared to have long-term potential.

I'm now thinking, however, that maybe the coaches told him last year what areas they needed to see improvement in his mechanics (or whatever), and he didn't show enough this preseason to impress them. So they never really planned on having him take the job, but then Rackers didn't prove much better.

But who knows.

SkinsJock · Post by **SkinsJock** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:40 am

markshark84 wrote:Not a good move at all. I see a David Akers type thing happening with Gano.

This just makes no sense. Cut a younger, better kicker for a lesser, older one......

I hope Gano (& Rackers) have great success in the NFL - it means NOTHING

Cundiff won the job from Gano in Baltimore and I just don't see it as that big a difference

My 2 Cents

markshark84 · Post by **markshark84** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:44 am

Chris Luva Luva wrote:
markshark84 wrote:Not a good move at all. I see a David Akers type thing happening with Gano.

This just makes no sense. Cut a younger, better kicker for a lesser, older one......

1. I think the Akers thing is a bit much...
2. Gano is better from long distance, Cundiff is better from mid-range/kick offs. So "better" is subjective.

Everyone lost their mind when we cut Gafney... FYI, the Patriots just cut him too, he didn't even last to the final round of cuts.

Let's not overreact.

I understand your point, but for some reason players that leave the skins tend to blow up the next place they land....

It usually takes a kicker a couple years to get into their grove and I am just afraid we weren't patient enough, but who knows. My better was based off of % made, % made over 40, and touchbacks. I personally think those are the best indicators. Gano was 4-6 from 50+; Cundiff 1-6. Gano was 8-11 from 40+; Cundiff was 7-9. From 40+ total Gano was 12-17 vs. Cundiff of 8-15. Gano had some serious issues from 30-39, but I think that would have improved with time.

And honestly, one of the main reasons Cundiff made the pro bowl in 2010 was because he only had 1 attempt of over 50 yards that year. He is a career 29% from over 50 yards. I think this is a serious weakness. IMHO, that lengthens the field significantly.

And personally -- I was not upset about Gaffney AT ALL. In fact, I thought it was a smart move based on his salary.

ACW · Post by **ACW** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:45 am

Do not want.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-high ... al-attempt

ACW · Post by **ACW** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:46 am

Double post.

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:48 am

markshark84 wrote:And honestly, one of the main reasons Cundiff made the pro bowl in 2010 was because he only had 1 attempt of over 50 yards that year.

I agree, I'm concerned about it too. I'm not 100% gungo, Mike can do no wrong. LOL

But, I also believe our reliance on the kicker will diminish. Our redzone offense wont be as bad. I think more often than not, we'll get within Cundiffs... I was going to say "sweet spot" but, I'll digress.

markshark84 wrote:And personally -- I was not upset about Gaffney AT ALL. In fact, I thought it was a smart move based on his salary.

Thats cool, just an example of us needing to take a "wait & see" approach.