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Pats Sign Kicker Gramatica
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Topic Started: Thursday Apr 6 2006, 04:34 PM (74 Views)
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WeatherManNX01
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Thursday Apr 6 2006, 04:34 PM
Post #1
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The Yanks are coming!
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From ESPN:
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Pats sign Gramatica, ex-Dolphins safety Jones By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com
Free-agent kicker Martin Gramatica, who was out of the league entirely in 2005 and hasn't attempted a field goal since November 2004, was signed by the New England Patriots on Thursday as a possible replacement for the departed Adam Vinatieri.
The Patriots are likely to add a younger kicker, as well, by the time training camp begins. Team scouts reportedly worked out Ohio State kicker Josh Huston recently and it is not out of the question that New England could invest a draft pick on the position. The Patriots also met last month with unrestricted free agent Paul Edinger, who kicked in Minnesota last season.
In another Thursday move, the Patriots signed free-agent safety Tebucky Jones, who began his career as a New England first-round draft choice in 1998. Jones played six games for the Miami Dolphins in 2005 but suffered a season-ending injury and then was released last month.
Details were not yet available on the Gramatica and Jones contracts.
Gramatica, 30, has been plagued by injuries the last two years but is said to be healthy again, and the Pats are hopeful he can return to his prior form. The six-year veteran spent nearly all his NFL tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but was released late in 2004 and signed by Indianapolis to handle kickoff chores.
For his career, Gramatica has converted 137-of-179 field-goal attempts and all but two of his 183 extra-point tries for 592 points. But his career, which included an all-rookie team selection in 1999 and a Pro Bowl appearance in 2000, spiraled downward his last two seasons with the Bucs, and his inconsistency led to his 2004 release. Notable, too, is that Gramatica is just 43-for-71 on field-goal tries beyond 39 yards.
The former Kansas State star was a third-round choice in the '99 draft, twice scored more than 100 points for the Bucs and still holds many of the franchise's placement records.
New England lost Vinatieri, regarded by many as the most clutch kicker in the game, to Indianapolis as an unrestricted free agent. Vinatieri signed a five-year, $12 million contract that included a record signing bonus of $3.5 million.
Jones was the 22nd overall choice in the '98 draft and the former Syracuse star played five seasons with the Patriots before being traded to New Orleans in 2003. A tremendous straight-line athlete but a player who has never lived up to his draft status and who struggled even to find a position early in his career, Jones will add depth and veteran experience to the interior of the New England secondary. The eight-year veteran is also an outstanding special teams player.
The 31-year-old Jones, who began his college career as a tailback before moving to the defensive side of the ball, played cornerback when he entered the league and then switched to safety. He has registered 420 tackles, six interceptions, 41 passes defensed, 4½ sacks, six forced fumbles and four recoveries.
In stints with New England (1998-2002), New Orleans (2003-05) and Miami (2005), Jones has played in 110 games and started in 72 of them. He was a part of the Patriots' Super Bowl XXXVI team in 2001 and capped off what was arguably his finest season with a strong performance in the championship victory over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams.
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PSUSyr5
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Thursday Apr 6 2006, 04:37 PM
Post #2
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The Board Idiot
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Didn't Gramatica kick a 60+ yarder in college? Sounds like the Pats have found their kciker.
Having watched Jones play at 'cuse, this is also a great pick-up for the Pats as well.
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WeatherManNX01
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Thursday Apr 6 2006, 04:42 PM
Post #3
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The Yanks are coming!
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- sre141
- Apr 6 2006, 05:37 PM
Didn't Gramatica kick a 60+ yarder in college? Sounds like the Pats have found their kciker.
Having watched Jones play a 'cuse, this is also a great pick-up for the Pats as well.
I think he hit a 65-yarder, yes.
And he was great before we traded him two or three years ago, too.
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PSUSyr5
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Thursday Apr 6 2006, 04:49 PM
Post #4
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The Board Idiot
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Yeah, well add Donovan Darius (also from the 'cuse) on defense...and you'd be all set.
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