Tag: Austin Seibert

Saints release backup kicker Austin Seibert, giving Blake Grupe the green light

Saints release backup kicker Austin Seibert, giving Blake Grupe the green light to continue kicking in black and gold:

Here’s a good sign for Blake Grupe moving forward. The New Orleans Saints released backup kicker Austin Seibert from the practice squad this week, giving Grupe the green light to continue kicking in black and gold.

Seibert was signed after a group tryout last week in the wake of Grupe’s groin injury. He’s been limited in practice but made all of his kicks (four extra point attempts and five kickoffs, two of which were touchbacks) last Sunday against the Detroit Lions. He’ll be up again for this week’s game with the Carolina Panthers.

Hopefully Grupe’s injury issues are behind him. The rookie has had an up-and-down NFL debut — he’s connected on 24 of 30 field goal tries for a success rate of 80%, which ranks 23rd among 34 qualifying kickers. On the upside, he’s hit all 23 point-after attempts. Grupe is one of 10 kickers who have scored 100% of their extra points this season. And 53 of his 62 kickoffs have been touchbacks (85.5%, which ranks 9th-best).

He just needs to be show more consistency on field goals. Some of Grupe’s misses have been due to a poor setup by his holder, rookie punter Lou Hedley, but he’s missed from a variety of distances. If he can bounce back from this injury and nail that down, the Saints decision-makers who have stuck by him — Dennis Allen and Mickey Loomis — will be feeling vindicated.

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Blake Grupe will kick for the Saints in Week 13 vs. Lions

Blake Grupe will kick for the Saints in Week 13 against the Lions. The rookie kicker has been dealing with a groin muscle injury, but he’s active:

Blake Grupe will kick for the New Orleans Saints in Week 13 against the  Detroit Lions. The rookie kicker has been dealing with a groin muscle injury, but he’s active — despite the team having signed a backup for him in veteran kicker Austin Seiebert earlier this week.

So he’ll have an opportunity to prove the job is his and his alone. Grupe has experienced some ups and downs this season but he scored all 15 points the Saints put on the board a week ago with five field goals in Atlanta. Saints head coach Dennis Allen has practiced a lot of patience with him, and the team clearly believes Grupe gives them the beset chance to win on Sunday.

We’ll see how he responds. Grupe has connected on 80% of his field goal tries this season, which ranks 24th around the league. But his 30 field goal attempts in his first 11 games are the third-most you’ll see in the NFL this season. Here’s hoping he comes through when the Saints call him up.

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Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi expects Blake Grupe to play vs. Lions

Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi expects Blake Grupe to kick against the Lions, but the team signed a backup just in case he’s needed:

The New Orleans Saints typically make their coordinators available for media on Thursdays each week, which gave special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi an opportunity to address the recent signing of free agent kicker Austin Seibert.

It was previously reported that Seibert was signed as a backup plan should Blake Grupe’s recent groin muscle injury sideline him, but Rizzi doesn’t anticipate an absence for the rookie in Sunday’s game with the Detroit Lions.

“Yeah, I’m not going to make any great predictions, I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t (play),” Rizzi said Thursday. “We’ll see as the week goes on. He’s got some more kicking he’s got to do this week. But Austin went today and he’s capable if we need him.”

Rizzi echoed the previous sentiment surrounding Seibert’s arrival, characterizing the pickup as an insurance policy: “The workout this week had nothing to do with a performance thing, it was more an insurance policy for us. We get a guy like Austin who’s an experienced player, a guy that’s kicked in the league for a few years. Actually has a game under his belt this year.”

Grupe was responsible for all 15 points the Saints scored against the Atlanta Falcons last week (while playing through an injury), so the team isn’t in a rush to replace him. He’s been limited on the injury report for each of the first two practices going into the Lions game so we’ll have to wait for a game status update on Friday. But it sounds like the Saints expect him to be active and busy come Sunday.

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Blake Grupe’s injury, not performance, prompted Saints to try out new kickers

The Saints hosted a group of free agent kickers for tryouts on Tuesday, but the decision was prompted by Blake Grupe’s injury, not the rookie’s performance:

The New Orleans Saints hosted a group of free agent kickers for tryouts on Tuesday, but the decision was prompted by Blake Grupe’s injury, not the rookie’s performance. Grupe was a late addition to the injury report before Week 12’s game with the Atlanta Falcons after pulling a groin muscle.

He played through it in Atlanta — making five of his six field goal tries — but NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill says the Saints consider Grupe to be “day to day” while receiving treatment. The rookie has a chance to play this coming Sunday for Week 13’s game with the Detroit Lions, but it’s worth bringing in a backup; veteran kicker Austin Seibert signed with the Saints practice squad just in case Grupe can’t play.

Still, Grupe’s first year in the NFL has been a bit of a roller coaster. The good news is that he’s nailed all 19 of his extra point attempts while getting a touchback out of 89.5% of his kickoffs (tied for sixth-most in the NFL). The bad news is that he’s 24-of-30 on field goal attempts (80.0%, which is eighth-lowest) with two misses in his last three games. His coaches have stood by him amid the highs and lows, but he needs to be more consistent. Getting healthy will obviously help.

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Saints to sign kicker Austin Seibert to their practice squad after tryout

The Saints are signing kicker Austin Seibert to their practice squad after a successful tryout on Tuesday:

Here’s the fallout from Tuesday’s group workout: NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported that the Saints are expected to sign kicker Austin Seibert to their practice squad. The Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Matthew Paras confirmed news of Seibert’s signing.

This comes after Seibert auditioned alongside other veteran specialists including longtime Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby. The Saints were already short a player on their 16-man practice squad after Jason Pierre-Paul left town for a better opportunity with the Miami Dolphins, so they won’t need to let anyone go to make room for him.

Seibert, 27, was a fifth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2019 NFL draft out of Oklahoma. He’s spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and New York Jets in the time since, and he’s made 45 of his 56 field goal tries (80.4%) in his NFL career. He’s also hit 56 of 62 extra point attempts (90.3%).

Blake Grupe is dealing with a minor groin injury, so it’s smart to add a backup in case he’s unable to go for this Sunday’s game with the Detroit Lions. Stay tuned.

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Lions add Devine Ozigbo to practice squad on busy Monday for ex-Lions looking for work

Lions add Devine Ozigbo to practice squad on a busy Monday for ex-Lions looking for work

Devine Ozigbo is back on the Detroit Lions practice squad after a brief bout of unemployment. The Lions signed the veteran running back onto the practice squad on Monday after releasing him late last week in the move to sign linebacker Trevor Nowaske to the active roster.

It was a busy Monday on the NFL transaction wire for a lot of former Lions around the league. Specifically, the weekly tryout circuit featured several players who have spent some time in Detroit, including a wave of offensive linemen who played for the Lions this past preseason.

OT Ryan Swoboda – Atlanta Falcons

OT Bobby Hart – San Francisco 49ers

DB Saivion Smith – Tennessee Titans

K John Parker Romo – Titans

K Austin Seibert – Titans

None of the former Lions were signed as of Tuesday morning.

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Busy day for ex-Lions on the NFL’s transaction wire

Several ex-Lions appeared on Tuesday’s NFL transaction wire, from releases to tryouts

The NFL publishes a daily transaction report, one that runs the gamut between roster cuts, players being placed on reserve lists to those trying out for teams and everything in between. Tuesday’s transaction list was crowded with updates on former Detroit Lions players.

Foremost on the list is Trey Flowers. The New England Patriots released the defensive end from the team’s PUP list. Flowers has not played this season and managed just 65 snaps for the Miami Dolphins in 2022 after the Lions released him following the 2021 season.

One-time Lions OL Tommy Kraemer is back on the New Orleans Saints practice squad. Kraemer was signed from New Orleans’ practice squad to their active roster last week, then waived on Monday. He’s played seven offensive snaps in two games with the Saints.

Another former Lions offensive lineman, Obinna Eze, had his practice squad contract terminated by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Eze signed with Pittsburgh’s practice squad after Week 3 but was unable to stick.

There were a few ex-Lions hitting the tryout/workout circuit this week, too:

QB Jeff Driskel tried out for the Colts (Monday)

DT Bruce Hector also tried out for the Colts

K Austin Seibert tried out for the Raiders

OL Ross Pierschbacher tried out for the Cardinals

CB AJ Parker tried out for the Seahawks

DB Juju Hughes tried out for the Raiders

As of Wednesday morning, none of the players were signed.

 

Jets announce roster moves ahead of Week 2 game against Cowboys

Tim Boyle officially moved to the active roster.

The Jets announced a few roster moves Saturday ahead of their Week 2 trip to Dallas to take on the Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS). Those moves include having their backup quarterback in place.

The Jets signed QB Tim Boyle to the active roster. Certainly not a surprise as Zach Wilson was the only quarterback on the 53-man roster this week after the Jets placed Aaron Rodgers on injured reserve (the corresponding move to cornerback Brandin Echols returning from suspension).

To make room for Boyle, the Jets released WR Irvin Charles from the active roster. They could certainly bring him back on the practice squad at some point. The Jets now have six wide receivers on the 53-man roster: Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, Randall Cobb, Xavier Gipson and Jason Brownlee.

The Jets also announced the signing of kicker Austin Seibert to the practice squad and named him of of their two practice-squad elevations for this week, along with linebacker Sam Eguavoen.

Seibert will kick in place of the injured Greg Zuerlein this week. Zuerlein suffered a groin injury Thursday and is out for Sunday. Eguavoen is elevated for the second time this season. He played 17 special-teams snaps against the Bills. A player can be elevated three times from the practice squad without being added to the 53-man roster. A fourth elevation would require the team to sign the player to the active roster.

Greg Zuerlein ruled out for Week 2, Jets sign Austin Seibert

Greg Zuerlein ruled out for Week 2, Jets sign Austin Seibert

The Jets have downgraded kicker Greg Zuerlein to out for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys with a groin injury. Zuerlein suffered the injury during Thursday’s practice and did not practice Friday, leaving his game status in doubt.

Zuerlein was initially listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report. He is now officially not going to play in Week 2. In his place will be former Browns, Bengals and Lions kicker Austin Seibert.

Seibert appeared in three games last season for the Lions and went 4/5 on field goals and 12/12 on extra points. He is a career 80% field goal kicker (44/55) and a 90% extra-point kicker (55/61). That includes a perfect 25/25 on field goals within 40 yards.

Lions waive K Austin Seibert before Week 5

Waiving Seibert leaves the Lions without a kicker on the active roster

The Detroit Lions are boldly entering the Week 5 matchup with the New England Patriots without a kicker on the active roster. Detroit waived kicker Austin Seibert on Friday.

The Lions had waived K Dominik Eberle on Tuesday after Eberle missed two extra points in last Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Eberle was kicking in place of Seibert, who was battling  groin injury.

Detroit does have a kicker on the practice squad in Michael Badgley. He should be elevated from the practice squad if not signed outright to the active roster for Week 5.

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