Tag: Sterling Hofrichter

Dolphins place two players on injured reserve, waive three

Miami has trimmed down to 80 players.

In an effort to cut down to the NFL’s 80-man roster limit, the Miami Dolphins announced a number of moves on Tuesday morning.

The Dolphins announced that they waived safety Sheldrick Redwine, which was previously reported by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. They also announced that they’ve waived punter Sterling Hofrichter and linebacker Deandre Johnson.

On top of those moves, the Dolphins also placed cornerback Mackensie Alexander and fullback John Lovett on injured reserve, ending their seasons.

Alexander is the most surprising transaction here, as he was just brought in after the first preseason game to replace Trill Williams, who was also placed on injured reserve. Now, Miami’s looking even thinner at cornerback.

Lovett had been not participating in practice or games during the last two weeks, so this move wasn’t all that shocking, especially considering Alec Ingold had a guaranteed roster spot.

Hofrichter, like Lovett, was in a battle with a veteran that basically won the spot already. He was really just in there to limit Thomas Morstead’s punt attempts while he was dealing with an injury.

Johnson was signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason to compete in a rather deep battle for outside linebacker/defensive end reps. While he flashed at times, he had an outside shot to make it.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=none image=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=452289]

Dolphins worked out other punters before signing Sterling Hofrichter

They landed on the former seventh-round pick.

The Miami Dolphins are always looking to improve their roster, and while they’re currently in the midst of their first training camp under new head coach Mike McDaniel, that’s still the case.

Earlier in the week, the Dolphins waived undrafted rookie punter Tommy Heatherly and signed Sterling Hofrichter to take his place in the competition with 14-year veteran Thomas Morstead.

According to Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, Hofrichter worked out for the team alongside two other punters – Dom Maggio and Matt Mengel.

Mengel recently spent time in the USFL, winning Special Teams Player of the Week at one point, as he has the ability to kick off, kick field goals and punt. During the season, he averaged 40.5 yards per attempt with over 45% of his punts being downed inside the 20-yard line.

Maggio was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Ravens in 2020, but he joined the Atlanta Falcons during the 2021 offseason. With the Falcons he actually competed with Hofrichter for the starting job, but both players ended up on injured reserve.

Maggio was eventually signed back to the practice squad in Atlanta in November when Morstead was their punter at the time.

Now, with Hofrichter on the roster, he’ll try to beat out Morstead and earn a spot on the 53-man, but he could also carve out a practice squad role.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=none image=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=451767]

Dolphins waive P Tommy Heatherly, sign P Sterling Hofrichter

Thomas Morstead has a new opponent.

NFL rosters during training camp are ever-changing, and that sentiment remains true for the Miami Dolphins.

On Friday, the team announced that they’ve waived undrafted rookie punter Tommy Heatherly and have signed third-year punter Sterling Hofrichter. Not much had been heard from Heatherly during training camp, but that’s to be expected when the team already holds a strong veteran option at the position in Thomas Morstead.

Hofrichter was a seventh-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 out of Syracuse. As a rookie, he played in all 16 games, averaging 42.5 yards per punt attempt and handling some kickoff duties. In 2021, he played in two games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, averaging just 37.8 yards per attempt.

Morstead will now have his battle for his job with Hofrichter, but it’s clear that the veteran is the favorite.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=none image=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=451707]

Bucs sign TE Bug Howard, waive P Sterling Hofrichter

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are signing tight end Bug Howard, and waiving punter Sterling Hofrichter

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are shuffling their roster a bit after their second day of training camp, signing tight end Bug Howard and waiving punter Sterling Hofrichter, per multiple reports.

Howard joins the Bucs after a stint with the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars, before which he had brief stints with six different NFL teams, as well as the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football.

Hofrichter was never expected to make Tampa Bay’s final roster, after the Bucs spent a fourth-round pick on Georgia punter Jake Camarda.

[listicle id=69467]

Falcons waive punter Sterling Hofrichter, sign Cameron Nizialek

Hofrichter was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2020 draft and started his entire rookie season.

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Falcons waived injured punter Sterling Hofrichter and signed Cameron Nizialek as a replacement. Nizialek played college ball at the University of Georgia and spent a few weeks on Atlanta’s practice squad last year.

Hofrichter was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2020 draft and started his entire rookie season. The former Syracuse standout punted 56 times for an average of 42.5 yards and long of 57 yards. 

The Falcons resume training camp practice this morning after getting Monday off.

[lawrence-related id=75948,75939,75829,75925]

[vertical-gallery id=75906]

Falcons sign former Wake Forest punter Dom Maggio

The Atlanta Falcons signed former Wake Forrest punter Dom Maggio to a one-year deal, the team announced on Monday afternoon.

The Atlanta Falcons signed former Wake Forest punter Dom Maggio to a one-year deal, the team announced on Monday afternoon. Maggio, 22, was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens following the 2020 NFL draft.

The Falcons drafted punter Sterling Hofrichter in the seventh round of last year’s draft, but general manager Terry Fontenot said he was going to add talent to all positions.

Maggio averaged 43.7 yards per punt over his four seasons at Wake Forest.

[lawrence-related id=67211,67392,67330,67328]

[vertical-gallery id=67306]

Koo says cops kicked him off fields for practicing during lockdown

Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo hasn’t taken anything for granted since becoming the starter at the midway point of the 2019 season.

Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo hasn’t taken anything for granted since becoming the starter at the midway point of the 2019 season. Koo’s impact down the stretch was noticeable as the team won six of its final eight games.

Despite entering the 2020 season as Atlanta’s presumed starting kicker, Koo knows just how quickly you can be replaced in this league if you don’t do your job at a high level. Practicing hasn’t been easy for the 26-year-old, though, due to the national lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Koo, who lives in New Jersey during the offseason, apparently had trouble finding practice fields to kick on. As tweeted by team reporter William McFadden following Monday’s practice, Koo said cops kicked him off of fields many times over the summer.

That wasn’t all Koo had to say on Monday, however. He addressed a number of topics, including his ability to kick a 60-yarder if necessary, per beat reporter Kelsey Conway:

Koo was also quick to credit his teammates for last year‘s success with onside kicks, despite his clear knack for onside-kick placement. He said the other Falcons players hustling their butts off was the real reason the team was able to convert.

Head coach Dan Quinn sounds more committed to Koo this week after backing off of his comments about bringing in another kicker for competition. It sounds like the former Georgia Southern standout is doing everything possible to become Atlanta’s long-term starter.

Perhaps it’s time to get used to Koo in that No. 7 jersey.

[lawrence-related id=57255,57182,57250,57243,57232]

[vertical-gallery id=57162]

Dan Quinn discusses K Younghoe Koo, P Sterling Hofrichter

Prior to the 2019 season, the Atlanta Falcons got by for nearly a decade with kicker Matt Bryant and punter Matt Bosher holding things down on special teams.

Prior to the 2019 season, the Atlanta Falcons got by for nearly a decade with kicker Matt Bryant and punter Matt Bosher holding things down on special teams.

The team attempted to move on from Bryant before the year started, then brought him back for Week 1, only to cut him again at mid-season. The Falcons replaced Bryant with little-known journeyman Younghoe Koo, who thrived down the stretch as the team went 6-2 over the final eight games.

Bosher was injured often last season, and Atlanta decided to draft punter Sterling Hofrichter out of Syracuse in the seventh round of the draft. Now just two weeks away from the team’s Week 1 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks, it appears Hofrichter is on track to start.

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn gave an update on both Koo and Hofrichter before Monday’s camp practice. Check out the video below, as shared by ESPN’s Vaughn McClure on Twitter.

[lawrence-related id=57243,57232,57182,57227,57214]

[vertical-gallery id=57162]

Falcons NFL Draft Profile: Breaking Down P Sterling Hofrichter

Sterling makes such booming kicks, you could say they set off the Hofrichter scale.

The Falcons cut a punter the morning of the third day of the draft because they felt they could get the punter they were targeting in the seventh round. Atlanta got that punter in Syracuse’s Sterling Hofrichter with the team’s final pick.

Hofrichter’s Combine/Pro Day Measurables

Sterling Hofrichter is a punter. His athleticism honestly doesn’t matter much because he shouldn’t be running down the field hitting guys.

Stats

2019: 12 Games Played, 69 Punts, 3,026 Yards, 43.9 Yard Average, 1-of-1 on all Field Goals, 64 Kickoffs, 62.5 Yard Average, 65.6% Touchback Rate, 3 Tackles

2018: 13 Games Played, 67 Punts, 2,874 Yards, 42.9 Yard Average, 101 Kickoffs, 63.9 Yard Average, 60.4% Touchback Rate, 3 Tackles, 1 Fumble Forced

2017: 12 Games Played, 57 Punts, 2,462 Yards, 43.2 Yard Average, 2-of-3 on all Field Goals, 1-of-1 on Extra Points, 5 Kickoffs, 60.6 Yard Average, 0% Touchback Rate

2016: 12 Games Played, 77 Punts, 3,289 Yards, 42.7 Yard Average, 1 Kickoff, 55.0 Yard Average, 0% Touchback Rate

2015: Red-shirted

Highlights

How does he fit on the field?

As a punter on the roster, Sterling Hofrichter’s only roles are being the punter, potentially being the kickoff specialist and potentially being the holder. He doesn’t have to overthink his role. He should be able to beat out Ryan Allen as a punter during his rookie training camp.

How does he fit the Comrade Filter?

Hofrichter has never been arrested or suspended. He seems to be competitive and is willing to go in and make tackles. He may have never been a captain, but as a punter, he simply did his job. Hofrichter is the kind of guy to go in, do his job and then go back to the bench.

How does he fit into the long-term plans for the Falcons?

Hofrichter should be the long-term starter at punter. As a kickoff specialist, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him beat out Younghoe Koo for the starting role there. Both have experience doing onside kicks, but both are effective at them. The Falcons will likely enjoy having both on the roster this season.

[lawrence-related id=50547]

[vertical-gallery id=50150]

Instant Analysis: Falcons get punter Sterling Hofrichter

The Falcons drafted a punter named Sterling Hofrichter out of Syracuse instead of going with an actual football player in the seventh round.

The Falcons cut Sam Irwin-Hill the morning before the third day of the draft because they felt they could get the punter they coveted. It turns out that guy is Sterling Hofrichter out of Syracuse. He has a booming leg and gets a ton of hang time.

It’s a bit surprising Atlanta went with a punter over another position, but the team must feel confident in the roster competition that they have right now for those key roles. Since he’s a punter, he’ll likely also have to be the holder and will compete with Younghoe Koo for the kickoff specialist.

Why Sterling Hofrichter instead of RB Darius Anderson or WR Kalija Lipscomb?

This is the head scratching move for me. The Falcons had some need for depth at running back and wide receiver and decided to go with a punter. Darius Anderson could have been a good move for competition at running back while Kalija Lipscomb would have been a smart move for depth at wide receiver.

Maybe they are banking on getting talent at the same level of these two guys in undrafted free agency. But it’s always going to feel a bit odd to see a punter taken during the NFL draft—even in the 7th round.

[lawrence-related id=50449]

[vertical-gallery id=50384]