Broncos Add Kicker To Active Roster

by John Bena on Dec 19, 2007 10:37 AM MST Comment 8 comments

The Denver Broncos on Wednesday signed kicker Matt Prater to their active roster from Miami's practice squad, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.

Prater (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) is a first-year player who spent the last four weeks on the Dolphins' practice squad after Atlanta waived him from its active roster on Sept. 18. He saw the first action of his career with Atlanta at the start of the season, playing in the Falcons' first two games and kicking off four times for 285 yards (71.3 avg.) with three touchbacks. He also connected on 1-of-4 field-goal attempts and one extra-point attempt.

He entered the NFL with Detroit on May 4, 2006, as a rookie free agent from the University of Central Florida and spent that regular season out of the NFL after Detroit waived him on Aug. 28, 2006. Prater signed a future contract with the Dolphins on Jan. 4 and competed in their training camp this season.

At UCF, Prater played 46 games in four seasons and finished his career tied for first in school history in field goals (50) while ranking fourth in scoring (258 pts.). He converted 50-of-74 career field-goal attempts, including 17-of-26 as a senior.

A second-team all-state selection as a senior at Estero High School in Estero, Fla., Prater was born Aug. 10, 1984

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Why?

I've been out of the loop a bit lately, but why did they make this move? Is Elam injured? Is Prater a kickoff specialist?

by Iguck! on Dec 19, 2007 12:08 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

They had an extra spot

on the roster after all the moves. If they don't start him, (and probably even if they do) they will be able to sign him to the practice squad in the offseason, or any other time when they feel tehy will be able to cut him, have him sit on waivers for a week, and then sign him to the PS without exposing him to uneccesary interest from other teams.

He has a very strong leg (75% touchbacks) but is not accurate at all, so I don't see him pressing or filling in for Elam. I think they are just insuring themselves over the near-term in case Elam gets hurt or decides to retire, neither of which seems terribly likely. Ernster can also do well on kickoffs, so I don't see Denver activating Prater to the gameday roster. They will probably just hang on to him and get him on the PS at the first opportunity.

by Jeremy Bolander on Dec 19, 2007 12:50 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm

If my predictions are right, I'd say Prater is a kickoff specialist only.

With Ernster doing punts and Elam doing field goals/XPs, that leaves kickoffs to Prater.

Hopefully he can consistently get it in the endzone on kickoffs. Heck, anything is better than Sauerbruns kickoffs.

by binford04 on Dec 19, 2007 12:47 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

I'm no special teams coach

but here is a theory about ST gamesmanship:

Kickoffs are of the 70yds+ variety. The defenders have to run about 50yds before they need to be ready to make a STs tackle. That sounds like a lot of running. Punts are of the 50yd variety. Defenders need to run only about 20yds before they are involved in the play.

Doesn't it make more sense to just get a touchback on every kickoff, and leave your STeamers (steamers, I like it :)) fresh (fresh steamers...not so sure about that anymore...) for punt return coverage, which tends to be much more important during the flow of the game? You already have momentum if you are kicking off, but punting is dangerous becuase momentum is swinging...

Obviously at least two points can be brought up here, 1) These guys are professionals and in good enough shape to do both, and 2) Duh! Of course they want touchbacks!!

But what does it say about a team that would sign a specialist just to get touchbacks during a game?

by Jeremy Bolander on Dec 19, 2007 12:58 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

interesting theory

I would say it is a fine balance between the advantages that you mention and "wasting" a roster spot on someone who can only help you in a very specific way. So a lot of it depends on the team and its roster. This season, I don't think Denver could afford to have had a kickoff specialist eating up a spot - just too many injuries, uncertainties and inconsistencies made every one of the 45 spots too valuable.

In fact, I have often fought with myself about the value of Mike Leach. He is a great long snapper and does a good job in coverage, but is that enough. Would 2 bad snaps a year be worth the roster spot? Of course it depends on when they occur :) But there have been times when the team has become shorthanded at a position during a game because of injury and you wonder if that affected the outcome of a game, and if it could have been avoided if the team had one more roster spot (Or the reverse, that we had to keep a questionably healthy player inactive because we couldn't afford the chance of a tweak)

by MattR on Dec 20, 2007 3:56 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Thoughts on Leach

I wish I could remember the article, but I can't. But at one time in the last month or so I read an excellent article explaining the critical nature of a long snapper, even if he does nothing else for the team. The article even mentioned Leach. It sold me on the importance of keeping a roster spot aside for a good long snapper. I wish I could share more, but I don't remember the finer points.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Dec 20, 2007 8:30 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice Article On Leach

By SI's Peter King. A solid Long-Snapper is a huge deal. Just ask Cincinnati(Denver game last season) and the Giants(playoff game against the 49'ers a few years ago).

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/08/28/leach0903/index.html

-TSG

www.milehighreport.com

by John Bena on Dec 21, 2007 6:27 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs