Tag: Thomas Morstead

Jets to work out punter Matt Araiza

The Jets are working out punter Matt Araiza on Wednesday, his first workout since being cut by the Bills last offseason

The Jets will work out punter Matt Araiza on Wednesday, per his agency JL Sports and reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Araiza holds the NCAA record for single-season punt average at 51.19 yards. Coincidentally, the previous record holder was former Jets punter and now Steelers punter Braden Mann.

Araiza was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills and was set to be the starting punter for them as a rookie. In August, he was accused of gang rape and was subsequently released by the team.

Recently, however, it was found that Araiza was not present at the time of the alleged incident and San Diego State University also concluded there were no findings against him. No charges were filed in the criminal case against him, though a civil case remains ongoing with a trial set for October.

This is Araiza’s first workout with a team since being cut by the Bills last offseason.

Thomas Morstead says Jets’ aggressive contract offer led him back to New York

The Jets seemed to really want Thomas Morstead back.

The Jets knew they needed help at the punter position after Braden Mann took a step back in 2022. So they went out and brought back a familiar face and made sure they gave themselves the best chance to do.

In his conversation with Paul Edsen of Heavy on Jets, new Jets punter Thomas Morstead said the Jets’ contract offer “felt aggressive”.

Via Edsen:

“I think No. 1, it wasn’t so much about how much I was getting paid, I mean I signed the veteran salary benefit contract. [That] is below my market, but they guaranteed the whole thing. They basically said we want you back and we’re committing to you for this season. That is a tremendous offer [and] there’s probably not too many guys that are on the veteran salary benefit that are getting the whole thing guaranteed.

It felt aggressive in a way, even though it’s the minimum they can pay me but it’s a commitment [for] the entire year. This was just an aggressive thing to do. They just said look we really want you and we’re putting our money where our mouth is in the form of guarantees.”

The Jets gave Morstead a one-year deal worth $1,317,500 with $1,092,500 guaranteed. Morstead spent part of 2021 with the Jets before punting for the Dolphins in 2022.

You can check out the full interview here.

Breaking down every Round 5 Saints draft pick since 2002

Breaking down every Round 5 Saints draft pick since 2002, from Mike Karney and Rob Ninkovich to Thomas Morstead and Kenny Stills:

We’re continuing our trek through New Orleans Saints draft history with a look at their picks in the fifth round under general manager Mickey Loomis, who has held his post since 2002 — making him the longest-tenured GM in the game.

And the Saints have a spotty track record in Round 5 under Loomis. Of the 20 players he’s picked in this round, only two of them have earned Pro Bowl recognition. Hopefully they can begin to reverse that trend:

Jets bring back punter Thomas Morstead

Jets bring back punter Thomas Morstead

The Jets have brought back a familiar face to be their punter in 2023. The team has signed Thomas Morstead.

Morstead played seven games for the Jets in 2021 in place of an injured Braden Mann. The Jets then stuck with Mann for 2022, but after a rough season for Mann, the Jets are going back to Morstead.

The longtime Saints punter was in Miami in 2022 and averaged 46.4 yards per punt.

Morstead shared his “luck” on Twitter Friday.

Former Dolphins punter Thomas Morstead signs with Jets

Miami will have a new punter in 2023.

The Miami Dolphins haven’t lost many of their own free agents early this offseason, but another one of their top guys has found a new home.

On Friday, punter Thomas Morstead announced on social media that he’s signed with the New York Jets.

Morstead, 37, joined the Dolphins last offseason on a one-year deal, and he rewarded the team by having one of the best statistical seasons from any punter in team history.

In 2022, he averaged 46.4 yards per punt (sixth), 40.5 net yards per punt (eighth) and 45.9% of his kicks were downed inside the 20-yard-line (first).

Miami will now have to hope they can get that kind of production elsewhere. They’ve already begun looking, as Jake Bailey was hosted for a visit on Friday, but not many have been as good for as long as Morstead.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[mm-video type=video id=01gve4fdsx140se789g1 playlist_id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gve4fdsx140se789g1/01gve4fdsx140se789g1-45455f8d00b4728ebb657b796206cf7c.jpg]

Grading the Miami Dolphins specialists after their 2022 season

Some were better than others.

The Miami Dolphins saw their 2022 season come to a close with a loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round, keeping them from their first playoff win in over 20 years.

Still, making the postseason in their first year under head coach Mike McDaniel is an accomplishment after failing to do so in the previous six.

With the season in the rearview, it’s a great time to look back at the year and evaluate how different positional groups played in 2022.

We’ve already hit on the:

Today, we’ll round out the roster with the specialists.

No one was prouder of Jason Sanders than Thomas Morstead

The kicker delivered in a big moment late in the season.

After the worst season of his career in 2021, Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders looked to be heading in the right direction in the preseason, making eight of his nine field-goal attempts, including all four from beyond 50 yards.

However, when the regular season began, Sanders continued to experience the same woes that were present the year prior. Through 17 weeks, he was 23-of-29 (79.3%) and was on pace for a career-low in extra-point percentage (93.2%).

In the final week, on Miami’s final offensive drive, Skylar Thompson drove the team down the field, setting Sanders up for a field goal that would likely decide the game. He stepped up and nailed the kick, essentially sealing a victory and their chances of making the postseason.

Then, in the wild-card matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Sanders hit all three of his field goal attempts and both of his extra points, keeping the Dolphins alive in a game that probably shouldn’t have been as close as it was.

His partner in the kicking game, holder and punter Thomas Morstead, was there throughout the journey and saw the way that Sanders dealt with the stress of the season.

“Jason is about as talented a guy as I’ve ever been around,” Morstead said. “He reminds me a lot of Will Lutz down in New Orleans just guys that hit straight balls that are technically really good and have a really nice swing. Both tough-minded. He hung in there really well this year. I know there was definitely some noise, and there were a few times when we didn’t get it done, collectively, and he just hung in there.

“We start off, I want to say four or five kicks outside of 50 yards in the preseason, and everybody was super fired up. Then, we had a few different misses early and midseason that were kind of big kicks that just didn’t go our way. He just hung in there, continued to work, continued to grind. As a specialist, you’re always tinkering, and you’ve never arrived. There’s always something to work on, and you’re always trying to just find your groove. He hung in there.”

When it came down to that final kick in the regular season, nobody was happier for, or prouder of, Sanders than Morstead.

“I was really, really happy for him, for the team, and for him individually, just the way we finished the season out against the Jets to go to the playoffs,” the punter said. “He deserved to have that come down to him and for him to come through. You don’t always get what you deserve in this league, and I was just really happy for him. And, just the way he handled it after the game. All of a sudden you’re kind of put up on a pedestal, and you come through, I remember his quote after the game just saying he felt like he owed it to the guys on the team. He wasn’t too high. He was just doing his job. I really enjoyed working with him. It was a real pleasure. He’s an elite player in this league, and I was proud of the way he hung in there.”

Sanders’ future with Miami is up in the air, as, according to Spotrac, the Dolphins could cut the kicker and incur no penalty this offseason. The team has to weigh the missed kicks earlier in the season against the big kicks he made in Week 18 and the wild-card game. If they think they can correct some of the issues, he’ll be back next year.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

[listicle id=457433]

Thomas Morstead open to return to Dolphins for 15th season

He had one of the best punting seasons in team history.

After a tumultuous season of punting with Michael Palardy manning the role in 2021, the Miami Dolphins opted to sign veteran Thomas Morstead to a one-year deal to perform those duties in his 14th season.

Morstead rewarded Dolphins brass with one of the best statistical seasons that a punter has had in team history.

In 2022, he played in all 17 regular season games, averaging 46.4 yards per punt (sixth), 40.5 net yards per punt (eighth) and 45.9% of his boots downed inside the 20-yard-line (first).

How does he assess his season?

“I thought it was super steady,” Morstead said. “Unfortunately, the NFL credited me with a -1 yard for the butt punt instead of a block, so my average really was even higher. I just thought it was a really steady year. It certainly wasn’t perfect by any stretch, but it was very steady, very consistent and very dependable. That’s what I try to be.”

Now, after another long season, Morstead is ready to enjoy time with the family.

“For 12 years, I played where I lived. Our home’s still in New Orleans, so it’s a different dynamic for me with playing from a distance and not coming home to my wife and kids every single day. Whenever the season does end, I’m always very excited to be home with my wife and kids and just kinda be dad.”

Family is clearly a priority for the veteran, as he’s talked about them a lot during his conversations with the media, and it’s tough to spend the season away from them. However, that doesn’t mean the punter is taking time off from his rigorous training regiment that’s become more than just working out.

“I don’t punt for at least a few months, but I don’t really take much time off from the gym,” Morstead said. “It’s just kind of a lifestyle. I love it, and I think it’s kind of required at my age. You don’t take a big chunk of time off because it’s really hard to get back. It’s a lot easier to kind of just keep working and driving through it. I’m capable of doing that because I’m not getting hit all the time. A lot of guys’ bodies are just so beat up after the season that they need to just get away and replenish. I just kind of stay training all year round.”

A 15th season isn’t something that many NFL players get the opportunity to see, but, for Morstead that’s something he wants to achieve, and it could happen in Miami.

“15 is definitely on the horizon,” Morstead said. “I’m certainly looking forward to another opportunity this coming year. I’ve made it known to the team that I’d love to be back, but we’ll see what happens. I don’t know what the future holds yet, and we’ll just take it as it comes, but I certainly am excited about continuing to play.”

General manager Chris Grier and company have preached about making smart business decisions, and re-signing Morstead, a talented player at an undervalued position, would certainly fit under that category.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

[listicle id=457401]

5 free agents the Dolphins should consider re-signing this offseason

These guys would be welcomed back.

In their first season under head coach Mike McDaniel, the Miami Dolphins finished with a 9-8 record and ended a six-year postseason drought. However, they still couldn’t end the much longer streak of seasons without a playoff win, which has now extended to a 23rd year.

Heading into next year, Miami has 31 free agents set to hit the market this offseason, but there’s a strong likelihood that some of them will find their way back to South Florida for the 2023 campaign.

Here are five pending free agents that the Dolphins should consider bringing back in the new league year:

Dolphins capitalize on roughing the punter penalty to take lead

The Dolphins capitalized on a Bills penalty to take the lead in the third quarter

Thomas Morstead is back known for the onside kick in the Super Bowl that was the catalyst for the New Orleans Saints’ win over the Indianapolis Colts in XLIV.

On Saturday against the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins’ punter was clobbered while booting the ball in the third quarter.

Instead of the Bills having the ball and a 21-19 lead, it was Miami’s possession at the Buffalo 35.

Tua Tagovailoa took advantage of the fortuitous play for the Dolphins, finding Tyreek Hill with a 20-yard TD pass.

The PAT put Miami up 26-21 in the key AFC East clash.