Kai Forbath Is Out In DC, As They Are Bringing In Dustin Hopkins, A Kicker With a Booming Leg Who Has Never Kicked in the NFL Regular Season

So here’s the thing. The Redskins love running through kickers. LOVE it. Kai has been here for 3 years, and has been pretty good. He started shaky in 2013 but still only missed 4 all season. Last year all he did was make field goals. From 49 yards and below he’s money in the bank. Just splits the uprights. His bug-a-boo though is leg strength. He can’t put kickoffs in the end zone and he can’t hit FGs longer than 50 yards. If the game is on the line and they need a 53 yarder there is zero chance he can make it. Just doesn’t have the leg.

Now, here’s the question- would you rather have a kicker like Kai who can put points on the board consistently, or roll the dice with a guy with a booming leg who can put it through the end zone on kickoffs, but has no field goal kicking experience? Because that’s what the Skins are doing. Dustin Hopkins has a huge leg, but has kicked a grand total of 0 regular season NFL field goals.

And how about this shit: Hopkins got beat out for the kicking job in New Orleans by Zach Hocker…yes the same Zach Hocker who the Skins drafted in the 7th round last year and Kai beat out for the job. Time is a flat circle.

Did Kai deserve to be cut after missing 1 FG yesterday? No. Do I like them bringing in a guy with no kicking experience? No, not really. It’s hard to find a good NFL kicker, just ask the Steelers. Josh Scobee can’t put the ball through the uprights to save his life. The Lions went through 100 kickers last year and they all sucked. Kai doesn’t suck. He’s pretty good at putting points on the board. So for a team that has trouble scoring, it’s an odd move to cut a guy who can give you 3 if the offense can move the ball down the field just a little bit.

Yes this is a pretty lengthy blog about a kicker, but it’s a pretty interesting situation. Giving up points for an unproven leg. The second Hopkins misses a field goal and Kai goes 5/5 in a game for Pittsburgh it’s going to be hell on earth. We all know it’s going to happen. We KNOW it.

PS: After the Forbath news was tweeted by Schefty, Grant Paulsen texted him to see what he had to say. Kai said he hasn’t heard anything about being cut. Soooooo someone leaked kicker news to Schefty before they told Kai. The circus rolls on.