The Buccaneers had high expectations for punter Jake Camarda when they selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Now, it looks like he’s certainly meeting them.
Camarda was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month Thursday afternoon for the first time in his career. He is the second Tampa Bay punter in franchise history to earn the award and the first Bucs player to earn the award since 2012.
Camarda was the second punter taken off the board on draft night and the first punter Tampa Bay selected since Brent Bowden in 2010. The only punter selected ahead of Camarda was Ravens punter Jordan Stout, who was selected three picks prior at pick No. 130.
The second-year punter was awarded NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after a dominant performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 2. Camarda booted a 72-yard punt early in the contest — which he one-upped Monday when he landed a 74-yard punt against the Eagles — and landed three punts inside the 20-yard line.
Camarda leads the league and averages 54.9 yards per punt. He has seven punts inside the 20-yard line, which is good enough for third in the NFL.
Through three games, Camarda is on track to finish the season with 79 punts for 4,352 yards. His projected season totals are almost identical to his rookie year stats. Camarda finished his first year with 79 punts for 3,859 yards.
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