Tag: lirim Hajrullahu

Lirim Hajrullahu explains why he picked Rams over 5 other teams

He sees the Rams as an open competition at kicker.

One of the most important and unpredictable position battles in camp for the Rams will undoubtedly be at kicker. They have three kickers who have never played in the NFL competing for the job to replace Greg Zuerlein, and it’s impossible to tell as of now which player will emerge on top.

Lirim Hajrullahu hails from the CFL where he was one of the best kickers in the league. He was the first kicker added by the Rams before Austin MacGinnis was added as a free agent and Sam Sloman was drafted in the seventh round.

Hajrullahu saw the Rams as a good opportunity for him to advance his career despite being 30 years old and having no NFL experience. In an interview with 3DownNation, Hajrullahu explained why he picked the Rams over five other teams that were interested.

“They were adaptive to the situation with COVID-19. It happened pretty quick,” he said of the Rams. “We were talking with them and five other teams. Even after I signed there were a couple teams that called and were surprised I had signed so quickly.

“Overall LA was the best scenario for myself because it’s an open competition. You don’t have a veteran guy that’s guaranteed a couple million already. It’s open and it’s up to me now.”

Hajrullahu is right: It is an open competition. The Rams have shown no preference to any of the three kickers, aside from maybe the fact that they spent a draft pick on Sloman after already signing Hajrullahu and MacGinnis.

But when it comes to kicking, the most accurate and consistent player will win out. It won’t come down to potential or upside because teams don’t exercise patience with kickers. They’re asked to contribute on a weekly basis and can’t simply stay on the roster as a backup.

Hajrullahu is thrilled to be playing in Los Angeles and is excited to hopefully capitalize on the opportunity he now has.

“To go play a sport in the NFL in LA, honestly for my parents and my whole family, we can’t fathom it. Timing is everything. Right timing, right team. You just have to take the opportunity and run with it,” he said.

Rams weren’t only team that showed interest in K Lirim Hajrullahu

There were other teams that expressed interest in the former CFL kicker.

Lirim Hajrullahu isn’t a name many football fans will recognize, but the Rams kicker is trying to change that in 2020. Los Angeles signed Hajrullahu this offseason after losing Greg Zuerlein to the Cowboys in free agency, giving him his first real NFL opportunity after six years with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL.

They weren’t the only team that showed interest in signing him, either. In an interview with TheRams.com, Hajrullahu revealed that there were “a few other teams” besides the Rams that expressed interest in him.

Los Angeles was one of the first, however, and had a wide opening at kicker for him.

“L.A. was the first one to strike, and I think it’s a perfect situation to compete,” Hajrullahu said.

Additionally, the Seahawks worked him out during the playoffs a year ago but didn’t wind up signing him. Hajrullahu is now in a great situation and feels his experience is matching up perfectly with this new opportunity.

“As much as this is a window for myself to get into the NFL, it’s also a kicking window, I feel, just because some other kickers have been struggling,” Hajrullahu said. “This is a perfect combination for myself to get in. I’ve had professional experience, I’ve played in big games and I believe I can compete with the best of them.”

Now 30 years old, Hajrullahu may not be as young as MacGinnis or seventh-round pick Sam Sloman, but age isn’t a huge factor with kickers. As long as they can make kicks, they’ll keep a job in the NFL.

Hajrullahu will have to beat out MacGinnis and Sloman in training camp and the preseason this year in what’s bound to be a true open competition when practice finally starts later this summer at some point.

Watch: Rams kicker Lirim Hajrullahu drills FGs from 75 and 77 yards

Lirim Hajrullahu has a strong leg, and he showed it off on the practice field this week.

There are a lot of position battles that will need to be sorted out this summer in training camp, one of which is at kicker. It’s not a marquee competition like inside linebacker and guard will be, but it’s an important one after the departure of Greg Zuerlein.

The Rams currently have three kickers on the roster, two of which hailed from other football leagues, and another who was a seventh-round pick. Lirim Hajrullahu was signed by the Rams out of the CFL, and he’ll be competing against former XFL kicker Austin MacGinnis and rookie Sam Sloman out of Miami (Ohio).

Hajrullahu was a prolific kicker in the CFL and this week, he showed off his leg strength by drilling field goals from 75 and 77 yards out.

Hajrullahu did acknowledge that there was some wind (5 mph), but that’s merely a breeze and calmer than most NFL games played in outdoor stadiums. Hajrullahu clearly has a strong leg and his career-long is 56 yards, but he’s also accurate.

In his CFL career, he made 83.3% of his field goal attempts across six seasons, including a career-best season in 2016 when he made 88.1%. And from 50-plus yards, Hajrullahu was 19-for-23 in his career, making his last 10 attempts since 2018.

All that’s well and good, but his spot on the team will come down to beating out MacGinnis and Sloman in camp where the coaches will be watching.

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5 things to know about new Rams kicker Lirim Hajrullahu

The Rams have a new kicker in Lirim Hajrullahu, who will compete with Austin MacGinnis this summer.

The Los Angeles Rams have begun the process of replacing Greg Zuerlein as their primary kicker, agreeing to terms with two players on Monday. It was first reported that the Rams were signing Lirim Hajrullahu, formerly of the CFL, but they also added ex-XFL kicker Austin MacGinnis the mix, too.

Hajrullahu isn’t a name many fans know after he spent the last six years in the CFL, but he’s been one of the best kickers in that league during his career, being named a two-time All-Star.

Here are five things to know about Hajrullahu.

Made the game-winning field goal in the Grey Cup

Hajrullahu has championship pedigree, helping the Toronto Argonauts win the 105th Grey Cup in the 2017 season. He made the game-winning field goal in that game to send Toronto home with the title. It was a 32-yarder with 53 seconds remaining, and the team’s only field goal in the game.

That season, Hajrullahu made 49 of 61 field goal attempts, including 2-for-3 in the playoffs with a long of 35 yards.

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Rams to sign CFL all-star kicker Lirim Hajrullahu

They appear to have found Greg Zuerlein’s replacement.

The Los Angeles Rams appear to have found their replacement for Greg Zuerlein at kicker – for now. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Rams are signing Lirim Hajrullahu, formerly of the CFL.

Hajrullahu, 29, has spent the last six seasons in the CFL, making the All-Star team twice (2016 and 2019). Most recently, he was with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who released him in January to allow him to pursue opportunities in the NFL.

Hajrullahu’s biggest moment in the CFL came in the 105th Grey Cup, when he kicked the game-winning field goal to secure the championship for the Argonauts in 2017.

He wasn’t just a kicker in the CFL, either. Hajrullahu also punted for all three teams he played for, booting it away 651 times in six seasons with 22,961 net yards. The Rams have a Pro Bowl punter in Johnny Hekker, but it can’t hurt to have an emergency option on the roster.

Zuerlein left the Rams to join the Cowboys in free agency this offseason after eight years in St. Louis and Los Angeles. The Rams could still draft a kicker later this month, but it appears they’re settling on Hajrullahu for now.