Could Johnny Hekker be next Rams special teamer to land with Cowboys?

If Corey Bojorquez wins the punting competition, could Johnny Hekker be a trade chip?

Greg Zuerlein, Jake McQuaide and John Fassel all have one thing in common: They were longtime members of the Los Angeles Rams who wound up joining the Dallas Cowboys in the last two years.

Could Johnny Hekker become the fourth member of that group, reuniting with his friends down in Dallas? Rams fans hope this picture from the team’s joint practice with the Cowboys wasn’t foreshadowing of what’s to come.

A few things have to happen, but it’s a scenario that should not be ruled out by any stretch – even as strange as it would be to see Hekker in a Cowboys uniform with Zuerlein, McQuaide and Fassel.

This can all be avoided if Hekker wins the punting battle with Corey Bojorquez, who the Rams signed to a one-year deal this offseason after the Bills decided not to tender him as a restricted free agent. The Rams always monitor which RFAs aren’t tendered, and Bojorquez was a player they liked, despite already having an All-Pro punter on the roster.

“It’s that untendered, restricted, free agent market that we do like to make sure we don’t forget about. Corey was someone that we liked and felt like it would be definitely beneficial and healthy to bring him here,” Les Snead said this week.

In the event that Hekker gets beat out by Bojorquez, which is very possible – especially considering Hekker is still on the reserve/COVID-19 list – the Rams might look to trade him instead of outright cutting him. A punter of his caliber carries value, even if it’s just a late-round pick. The Giants got a conditional seventh-rounder from the Panthers for kicker Ryan Santoso, for example, and he’s not nearly as proven as Hekker.

Sean McVay wouldn’t commit to Hekker as the Rams’ punter during his press conference Thursday, saying it’s a situation the team will continue to evaluate.

“Everybody knows what Johnny has meant to this team, to me, really to our organization, and this goes a long (way) back before I even got here,” McVay said. “But, Corey has come in and he’s done a nice job. We’re going to continue to evaluate that. There’s obviously a lot of complications that have kind of added to that situation just based on COVID and things of that nature that even convolute it a little bit more.”

The Cowboys might be clearing cap space for Hekker already, too, knowing the Rams might be looking to move on. Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweeted Friday that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Cowboys created $6.88 million in cap space with the anticipation that Hekker could be available.

The Cowboys only have Bryan Anger at punter, who they signed this offseason. Hekker is much better than Anger and obviously has a strong connection with not only Fassel, but Zuerlein and McQuaide.

As a trick-play artist with a big leg and no struggles whatsoever as a holder in the kicking game, Hekker makes sense as a trade target for Dallas. You can bet Fassel would love to reunite with him, as would Zuerlein and McQuaide.

If the Rams were to trade Hekker, it would save them $3.75 million in cap space, with Bojorquez costing just $1.02 million this year if he remains on the roster. Hekker is the most expensive punter in the NFL with a cap hit of $4.94 million this year, and looking back on his 2020 season, he wasn’t necessarily worth the huge price tag.

He ranked 17th in yards per punt, 24th in net punting average and had five touchbacks. He’s still a weapon, especially thanks to his accurate arm on trick plays, but Hekker must be better to be worth the high price tag – and he knows it.

I mean every day is a competition. If you’re not competing during training camp, you’re not in the right head space and you’re not going to progress and be your best when September rolls around,” Hekker said earlier this month. “Corey’s a very, very talented punter. He led the NFL in yards per punt last season. He’s been just building on that foundation that he had last season. He’s incredible. He’s pushed me every day to be better. Watching his technique and his leg talent, just really makes me want to refine mine and make sure that I’m being the best that I can be, because at the end of the day, the reality is teams only carry one.”

The Cowboys could easily pull off a trade for Hekker if the Rams opt to keep Bojorquez, and Fassel might push them to get it done ahead of time rather than waiting for him to hit the waiver wire next week.

It’s not time to panic about Hekker possibly being on his way out, but fans of the All-Pro punter should prepare to see him in a different uniform – as difficult as that is to imagine.

[vertical-gallery id=651505]