After arguably waiting too long to create competition for kicker Brett Maher in 2019, the Cowboys are already causing his replacement Kai Forbath, to look over his shoulder.
Dallas announced the signing of free agent Greg Zuerlein on Friday afternoon, just days after inking Forbath to a one-year contract.
Zuerlein had spent his entire eight-year pro career with the Rams, but his deal expired last week. 2019 was a down year by Zuerlein’s usual standards; he went just 24-for-33 on field goals. The 2017 Pro Bowler has a 82% success rate on field goals in the NFL, though, and has hit on 98% of career PATs.
Greg “The Leg” will be reunited with special team coordinator John Fassel, who has also come to Dallas from the Rams.
Zuerlein was a sixth-round draft pick in 2012 — Fassel’s first year on the job — out of Missouri Western State University. His deal with the Cowboys is reportedly worth roughly $7.5 million over three seasons.
Sources: Former #Rams K Greg Zuerlein is headed to the #Cowboys, rejoining special teams coach John Fassel. Zuerlein gets a three-year deal with a base value of $7.5 million.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 27, 2020
The important thing here will be the guaranteed money. If there isn’t much, Dallas has set up an outstanding kicking competition for training camp. If there is, than the Forbath deal might as well have never happened.
Forbath’s one-year, $1.05 million deal had only a $200,000 signing bonus.
In NFL history, only 22 field goals have been made from at least 60 yards; the 32-year-old Zuerlein has done it twice. Maher, of course, had done it three times before his mid-range struggles forced the team to release him with three games to go in 2019.
Forbath went 10-for-10 in three games as his replacement.
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