The Matt Bosher Question: What Role Will He Play?

by Dave Choate on May 5, 2011 6:00 PM EDT in Falcons News

Kicker, punter, kickoff specialist. Will Matt Bosher be one or all of them?

Whatever you may think of Bosher, drafted near the end of the sixth round, he's got a capable leg and the makeup to be effective in special teams. He's extremely unlikely to play the Michael Koenen memorial role as the kicker and punter for the Falcons, given the way Koenen went down like a lead zeppelin filled with bricks trying to do so.

But Bosher is likely to take Koenen's job, in my opinion. Koenen has been a Falcon and served admirably for a long time, so based on that alone I'll miss him. Yet if he's asking for serious money in free agency, the Falcons are exceedingly unlikely to oblige, and drafting Bosher probably sealed his fate.

With his leg, Bosher's likely to be at least an equivalent to Koenen, if not his better. He'll also be significantly younger and cheaper. I say the Falcons hold on to Matt Bryant for a year or two, let Koenen walk and have Bosher handle kickoffs and punting duties. Of course, what I would like to hear is your opinions on the matter.

Discuss!

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I think you're right ...

that Matt Bosher was drafted to take Michael Koenen’s spot.

That’s unfortunate, in my humble opinion. I believe Koenen has been a valuable part of this organization, and he will be missed.

I’m certainly not going to agree that it can be said with any sense of certainty that Bosher will be as good as Koenen, let alone better.

by Reid Adair on May 5, 2011 6:04 PM EDT reply actions

I guess we'll have to see

I think that the last couple of seasons, Koenen’s been very up and down.

by Dave Choate on May 5, 2011 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Remember that time

We FRANCHISE tagged him? Those where the days…

by TheAreopagite on May 5, 2011 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions

He may have been drafted to replace Koenen

but I don’t believe he will. We’ve tagged Koenen before and we don’t know what he’s asking. I agree you don’t draft a K without a reason and Bosher may be talented. I just don’t think he’s good enough to replace Mike.

by FrozenFinger on May 5, 2011 6:29 PM EDT reply actions

I have a feeling he's asking for more than the team wants to pay

by Dave Choate on May 5, 2011 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions

This is the football equivalent of that scene in the Godfather

Where the studio exec wakes up, and well, gives Johnny the part.

by TheAreopagite on May 5, 2011 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Especially with player with much more important positions needing to be resigned.

If I’m Stephen Nicholas, Clabo, Blalock, or Dahl and I see Koenen resigned before me, I would pack my bags on the spot. Bosher’s punting for us next year.

by ndnpride8806 on May 6, 2011 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

We can't go without a K

and without a CBA in place, there is no franchise tag. Can’t fault TD for ensuring that the position is sewn up JIC…

by theatlfan on May 5, 2011 6:36 PM EDT reply actions

Don't think he will replace Koenen (unless it's a financial issue) ...

Michael had an off year. Then again, Bryant had a career year. Regardless, it will definitely be a camp battle to watch.

by James Rael on May 5, 2011 6:56 PM EDT reply actions

But

you really think they selected Bosher in the 6th (not with one of our two 7ths) to compete? I disagree. I really think that Koenen won’t even be at Falcons TC. Bosher has the Punting duties at least. If not, why else use that pick?

by KMarch on May 5, 2011 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I read an article last night

That said some teams were targeting Bosher as the best “specialist” in the draft. Could be why we spent a 6th on him instead of hoping he fell to the 7th…

I don’t have a link at the moment but I’ll see if I can find it

by FLA_Falcon on May 6, 2011 8:58 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Maybe I'm in the minority (actually I'm definitely in the minority) ...

But I think they let Bryant walk. I’ll admit, my argument lacks any semblance of logic. Just have a feeling.

by James Rael on May 6, 2011 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe he can be a KOS

If he is good at kick-offs, then he could be a kickoff specialist. If Bryant or Koenen struggles, then he can replace him. But I don’t think they are willing to give up an extra position spot.

by jlanders on May 5, 2011 7:29 PM EDT reply actions

but then

we would have to carry 3 kicking specialists on our active gameday roster. There isn’t room for all three here.

by KMarch on May 5, 2011 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't know...

to much about him frankly but with all I am reading and everyone else’s analysis on him (especially on this site) I think he will do well…and if we have to let Koenen walk then the pick was worth it.

by Joseph K. Houston on May 5, 2011 8:05 PM EDT reply actions

Micheal Koenen is not worth $3.897 million dollars

And that’s what we’ve had to pay for his services for the last two years.

That averages out to about $1,948,500 per year. Now compare with the average NFL salary for Punters at $868,005 and we’re paying a premium of about two and a quarter times the league average to have Micheal Koenen as a Falcon.

Even the biggest Koenen fan has to admit that the extra $1,000,000+ per year we’ve been paying for Koenen could be better spent elsewhere on our roster.

As for how Bosher will compare, nobody can say for certain of course, but the evidence suggests we shouldn’t see too much of a drop off between the two:

2010 Punting average
MK – 40.7
MB – 44.0

2009 Punting average
MK – 42.6
MB – 42.5

2008 Punting average
Mk – 40.7
MB – 40.0

2007 Punting average
MK – 43.5
MB – 40.2

As for kickoffs, I couldn’t find Bosher’s year to years stats unfortunately. The only stat I found repeatedly mention is that in his last two years at Miami he sent an average of 70% of kickoffs into the endzone.

So the kids got just about all the leg you could want, and I don’t see what exactly we’ll be missing if we let Micheal Koenen walk.

by Leon07 on May 5, 2011 8:35 PM EDT reply actions 7 recs

rec'd

great research, Leon07

by KMarch on May 5, 2011 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Rec'd

Not to mention, even if his leg isn’t as strong as Rob Bironas or Sebastian Janny it’s still ok because he’s kicking from the 35 instead of the 30.

by ndnpride8806 on May 6, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

rec'd

getting paid a premium salary is huge but our team is not known for overemphasizing that particular stat. if we look around we’ll find similar skewed salaries in our secondary, for instance.

someone noted above that Koenen had a down year while Bryant had a terrific year, and at this point it would be hard to know whom this new kid will replace – it may actually come to a training camp selection. it’s tough to make a choice now, because you never know what is an anomaly and what is a trend.

what I’m curious about is why did Koenen have such a down year? two years ago we lead the league in yards allowed after we punted, and last year we were nowhere near that. I’m afraid this had to do not just with Koenen’s leg (although I must admit he was liable for some poor punts), but something with our special teams.

Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia

by Gemini-RU on May 7, 2011 8:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Bosher's playing for sure

Drafting a punter in the 6th round is like drafting a WR in the 1st round. (Yes I used that comparison.) He’s not drafted to give someone else “competition.” He’s going to play.

Koenen is out the door, and for good reason. He punted terribly last year. I remember when he was on the 50 and trying to pin the opponents deep. He put up a punt for 28 yards, which puts them on the 22. If Bosher hit’s his average, they are on the 10, or maybe inside the 10. That’s a huge difference. That’s a more than a 1st down!

Bosher is cheaper and seems to be more consistent. Koenen’s walking for sure.

by ndnpride8806 on May 5, 2011 10:15 PM EDT reply actions

I hope he was drafted to replace Koenen

And not Bryant. Bryant had the best season of his career and won us several games in the clutch. Koenen has got worse every year for the last 3 years. Remember when we set the NFL record for least punt return yards 3 years ago?

Koenen’s recent punts haven’t been very reminiscent of that.

by Mosugo on May 6, 2011 12:21 PM EDT reply actions

If I had to bet, I'd say Koenen is gone and Bryant will be back

The idea of carrying only one player for KOF/P/FG duties was a failed concept pursued by Moria Jr. and I don’t think the current regime is eager to repeat it.

Bryant was money last year in some key moments. Plus his struggles to land on a team after the Bucs cut him might mean he’ll be relatively cheap to retain.

by Leon07 on May 6, 2011 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions