Should we be looking for an upgrade at Kicker?

[BengalChris]

I loved Nugent at Ohio State, but for my money an upgrade at this position is warranted this off season.

He's still under contract and there's a number of free agents to resign, but given all that I believe it's time to look for someone with longer range and a younger leg.

[J24]

Yes and you could get one very cheap in college free agency.

[*Go Cards*]

We should trade him to Hue for the Browns 1st round draft pick.

Seriously though, it may be time.

[Gohards]

Keep him

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Nugent's only redeeming quality is he is an OSU player, which some fans absolutely love.

Fact is, he's been a pretty much terrible kicker his entire career in Cincinnati, with the exception of one year. Here's where he ranks in the NFL in FG% year-by-year...

2015: 23rd
2014: 27th
2013: 23rd
2012: 20th
2011: 8th
2010: 21st

You know why Nugent was 8th in 2011? Because that year he had ***14*** FGs of 20-29 yards. So barely longer than the old PATs (which were 19 yards).

He has been consistently one of the worst kickers in the NFL. I don't think anybody else would keep a guy who hasn't been better than 20th in four years. He doesn't even have a big leg to compensate for his inaccuracy, being a coin flip kicker at 50+ in Cincinnati.

Never should have let Josh Brown go in order to just save a few bucks and be "loyal" to the OSU player. Since leaving Cincinnati, Josh Brown has been a 91.7% FG kicker, including being an 87.5% kicker at 50+.

Each of Josh Brown's three years since leaving Cincinnati are statistically better than Mike Nugent's career year.

Long since time to replace Nugent and Tate both.

[Bilbo Saggins]

Yikes, I never knew that Nugent was that subpar in field goal %. What I do remember is him shanking a <50 yard kick in Denver. If all else remained equal, that kick would've won the game and the Bengals would've had a bye going into the playoffs.

[yellowxdiscipline]

Moving on from Nuge should be on this teams to do list.

[milksheikh]

I honestly think we should, He's been average at best the past years and I think it's time to replace him.

I would look at Roberto Aguayo, a very nice kicker, who I think could challenge Nuge for the top spot.

[jj22]

It's a year late to move on from Nuge. Quin Sharp proved just as capable and cheaper, but we didn't re-sign players and tagged Nuge.

[StLucieBengal]

The steelers will have the same dilemma. If they drop that kid they signed this year then we should consider him.

[OrlandoBengal]

They should have started looking at kickers during that horrible stretch he had in 2014 and definitely should have brought in competition during the 2015 training camp. His accuracy is average, at best, and he does not have a very strong leg. So basically he has neither of the attributes you want in a kicker.

[Bengal Dude]

I'd really like us to look for an improvement. I've never been a big Nugent fan, but for a while you couldn't say that because he was from OSU and OSU players do no wrong, hence why some were excited about AJ Hawk. It just seems that Marvin loves the guy, so I'm guessing he stays until Marvin is gone.

[Shake n Blake]

(02-11-2016, 11:53 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: The steelers will have the same dilemma.    If they drop that kid they signed this year then we should consider him.

Chris Boswell. He was outstanding for them last year. I'd take whichever K they decide to drop. If they keep Boswell and drop Suisham, he'd be an upgrade as well.

[RagnarLothbrok]

I'm indifferent on whether to move on from Nugent. I didn't know his stats were so bad, but he is a good character guy (I don't really think there are any kickers who are bad character). I have no preference on whether he goes or stays. He just exists.

[*jason*]

Um....  Hell f****n' yes.

[ItsOdellThurman]

We should have been looking for one for 3 years. It's beyond me how a kicker can be employed yet the coaching staff is nervous about him on anything over 50 yards. If that's the case, he better be leading the league in efficiency. Nugent is far from it. He's a meddling top 18-25 kicker with very, very limited potential to do much better.

[*jason*]

(02-11-2016, 05:57 PM)ItsOdellThurman Wrote: We should have been looking for one for 3  years.  It's beyond me how a kicker can be employed yet the coaching staff is nervous about him on anything over 50 yards.  If that's the case, he better be leading the league in efficiency.  Nugent is far from it.  He's a meddling top 18-25 kicker with very, very limited potential to do much better.

I'm nervous at anything over 35...  I fully expect him to miss anything over 40.

[ItsOdellThurman]

Well, yeah, but literally anything over 50 isn't FG range. Other teams know it. You have to at least have the threat of it...

Nugent is basically Shayne Graham but without the elite make percentage during his prime. Graham, when he was replaced, was one of the worst kickers in the NFL.

Of course, he comes back last year and is drilling 55+ yarders. WTF.

[Interceptor]

(02-11-2016, 06:06 PM)jason Wrote: I'm nervous at anything over 35...  I fully expect him to miss anything over 40.

He makes me nervous on the chip shots.

[Shake n Blake]

(02-11-2016, 06:06 PM)jason Wrote: I'm nervous at anything over 35...  I fully expect him to miss anything over 40.

In fairness, Nuge has hit 75% of his kicks from 40-49, which isn't too bad. When you look at his career splits compared to Josh Brown, you can see where his problems are:

Josh Brown

From 0-29: 96 of 98 (98.0%)
30-39: 93 of 103 (90.3%)
40-49: 82 of 113 (72.6) 
50+: 37 of 54 (68.5%)

14.7% of all his kicks have come from 50+ yards

Nuge


From 0-29: 70 of 71 (98.6%)
30-39: 66 of 79 (83.5%)
40-49: 66 of 88 (75.0%)
50+: 11 of 25 (44.0%)

Only 9.5% of his kicks have come from 50+ yards


So it looks like Nuge has missed too many easy FGs in the 30-39 yard range, and he's practically useless from 50+.