Caleb Sturgis‘ injury looks to have prompted the Eagles to pry a kicker off another team’s practice squad, and they’ll be adding one of this past draft’s top kicking prospects.
The Eagles intend to sign rookie Jake Elliott off the Bengals’ taxi squad, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Sturgis’ quad strain will send him to IR, with a potential designation to return, per Rapoport.
The Bengals opted to go with Randy Bullock as their primary kicker but attempted to stash Elliott, a fifth-round pick out of Memphis, on their practice squad. But the Eagles’ injury need will relocate the kicking prospect. Three kickers went in this past draft, and the other two — Zane Gonzalez and Harrison Butker — were seventh-round selections.
So, Philly will have an interesting specialist filling in for Sturgis — also a former fifth-round pick — who has kicked with the team for the past two seasons.
Elliott broke Stephen Gostkowski‘s Memphis records for points scored and field goals made in a career and was a Lou Groza award finalist in 2015.
If he can establish some early consistency, this guy may be the long term solution at kicker for the Iggles. He seems to have a powerful leg, and looking at his pro day workout, puts every kickoff out of the end zone.
Iggles may have lucked out. We shall see.
Surprised to see a kicker on a practice squad.