Araiza signed with KC

[NotBigzo]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/05/08/as-civil-lawsuit-proceeds-prosecutors-say-former-bills-punter-matt-araiza-wasnt-present-for-alleged-gang-rape/

Get this man right now while he's a free agent.

[Housh]

Wasnt even there.

[NotBigzo]

(05-08-2023, 11:59 PM)Housh Wrote: Wasnt even there.

Wasn't even ***** there.

IDGAF if we drafted one. This dude is a dime a dozen. Sign him now. His name is only going to get cleaner.

His only crime it looks like, is being in close proximity to a girl who was on a mission to hoe out sober.

And if you think that's harsh, have a read: Prosecutors: Former Bills punter Matt Araiza wasn't present during alleged gang rape (yahoo.com)

The prosecutors pretty much said "You went to a party and hoed out sober, how can we press charges?"

[NotBigzo]

More specifically:

“The witnesses say … that shortly after you arrived at the party, you left and came back shortly thereafter,” Amador said. “And you told [a friend], ‘I just had sex.’ ... You didn’t appear unhappy. You appeared to be having fun and that the encounter on the side of the house with Matt, suspect Araiza, was consensual."

Amador also explained to the girl that additional witness testimony alleged that at this period of time, “you were approaching men at the party saying, ‘I want you to [expletive] me and if you don’t [expletive] me you’re a [expletive].”

[guyofthetiger]

Well, the case isn't about the truth. It's about the money IMO.

[Bengalstripes9]

Interesting. I wonder if she caught something and then switched to being the victim. Tough to say or make any type of judgement with not having been there and heard/seen what happened. Not a good situation to find yourself in though.

I don't know anything about the punter as a player. May the best punter/man win.

[*psychdoctor*]

We have our punter. Ariza just kicks long, terrible on placement and inside 20.

[Garrus]

Naw I think I'd prefer Robbins

[TecmoBengals]

The Bengals used a draft pick on a Punter. They aren't dipping into FA for one unless Robbins shows up with an inability to punt a football.

[Gdale_Bengal]

Naw. Robbins was highest at fair catches last season and would have been better if players didn’t try to return some punts that went no where anyway

[KillerGoose]

(05-09-2023, 03:42 AM)psychdoctor Wrote: We have our punter.  Ariza just kicks long, terrible on placement and inside 20.

I'm not 100% sure on placement, but saying he is terrible at hitting inside the 20 is wrong. Araiza was one of the best punters in the nation at hitting inside the 20 with over 50% of his punts landing there, good for 14th in the nation in 2021. Robbins was at 37% in 2022 and 2021, closer to national average. I'm not saying that we should go get him, but acting like all Araiza does is kick long is a bit strange. He's a well rounded punter and even has decent hangtime, but Robbins is still better. 

[XenoMorph]

(05-08-2023, 11:45 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/05/08/as-civil-lawsuit-proceeds-prosecutors-say-former-bills-punter-matt-araiza-wasnt-present-for-alleged-gang-rape/

Get this man right now while he's a free agent.

im down for a camp battle....  

This guy likely has some Lawsuit money coming his way against the bills and NFL...  

That lady and all like her should be in jail

[CJD]

Matt Araiza was in the unfortunate situation of being a fairly high profile person due to the sport he played in and the success he had up to that point while simultaneously playing a position that is not valuable enough to justify the negative PR had the accusation been true.

If he were a WR or a QB, he would most likely have still been on an NFL roster right now, as there was no conviction for the accusation yet. Deshaun Watson was never cut for all the accusations he was under. Mixon was still drafted despite the video proof of him assaulting a woman. Tyreek Hill and Adrian Peterson suffered very little repercussion from their alleged abuse of their children.

The NFL, at the end of the day, is a business and there are people that are worth taking negative PR for, and there are people that are not. I feel bad for Araiza that his value to the NFL was not high enough for him to remain in the former camp while the proceedings were ongoing.

Even now, I think there's a chance he is not signed by any team. Even with what appears to be a redemption of his character (I don't think the whole situation is fully resolved even now, so there may yet be twists and turns in this developing story), the NFL may have just moved on by now.

There are 32 punters in the NFL, and more than 32 people who are capable of kicking a ball well. This accusation may have been all the NFL needed to mark him down as punter #33 and move on from him, guilty or not.

This is why all NFL players should have a back up plan via their degree or other work experience. You can't rely on the NFL as an NFL prospect because it's such a fickle business.

I hope he bounces back from this whole ordeal, provided he truly is innocent.

[BengalYankee]

(05-08-2023, 11:45 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/05/08/as-civil-lawsuit-proceeds-prosecutors-say-former-bills-punter-matt-araiza-wasnt-present-for-alleged-gang-rape/

Get this man right now while he's a free agent.

[ElkValleyBengal]

This story's roughly three weeks old. I would love to bring Araiza in to compete for the job, which would mean he'd almost certainly win it. Unfortunately for the Bills they caved to the Twitter brigade and other assorted self-appointed legions of virtue.

[*Go Cards*]

Bengals have their punter now. Plus not even sure Ariza would want to be in that heated of a camp battle that would be a 50/50n unless he had no other options.

[Sled21]

(05-09-2023, 12:18 AM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: Interesting. I wonder if she caught something and then switched to being the victim. Tough to say or make any type of judgement with not having been there and heard/seen what happened. Not a good situation to find yourself in though.

I don't know anything about the punter as a player. May the best punter/man win.

Oh, she did, she caught a case of the "Matt is going to the NFL and I want his money" itis....

[NotBigzo]

The Cheifs beating us to the punch on a clear-cut position of need is why they are who they are and why we are who we are.

[kalibengal]

He will likely be in top 3 of punters next yr for the SB winner. ....meanwhile we have Baskin Robbins

[Frank Booth]

Chiefs wont get reamed by the media for it, and that front office knows it. The same rules didnt apply to other teams