HEADLINES

Connor Barth

AFC Notes: Texans, Richardson, Bowe

September 28th, 2015 at 10:19pm CST by Zachary Links

With Randy Bullock looking shaky, the Texans will audition a number of kickers this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Houston will take a look at Nick Novak, Connor Barth, Kai Forbath, Chris Boswell, and Giorgio Tavecchio as potential replacements, though it’s not a lock that they’ll sign one of those players.

Here’s more from the AFC..

  • The Jets haven’t heard from the league about more possible discipline for Sheldon Richardson and as of right now, coach Todd Bowles is operating under the assumption that he’ll be back on Monday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Despite the fact that he has yet to make his mark in Cleveland, Browns coach Mike Pettine says the team has not discussed cutting wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets.  Bowe had a $9MM guarantee on his deal and the team expects him to play this season.
  • Jets guard Willie Colon suffered a sprained knee on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.  Colon will likely be out this week and may miss more time beyond that.
  • Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth told reporterss, including Coley Harvey of ESPN.com, that length wasn’t the most important factor for him when it came to his extension. Whitworth only wanted to be in Cincinnati again and the length of the deal was apparently secondary.  He admitted that his family and other factors could influence decisions on future deals.  “I want Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, Adam Jones and all these guys to know what it’s like to win a Super Bowl,” Whitworth said (link).

Buccaneers To Release Connor Barth

September 4th, 2015 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

Connor Barth‘s latest stint with the Buccaneers only lasted a little over a week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the veteran kicker is being released by the club.

Barth landed with the Buccaneers quickly last Wednesday after being released by the Broncos, and figures to be atop the list of targets for the next NFL team in need of kicking help. The 29-year-old signed with Denver last November to replace Brandon McManus, who was struggling with his accuracy. However, McManus beat Barth out for the kicking job in Denver this season, even though Barth finished the 2014 campaign by nailing 15 of 16 field goals for Denver.

According to Rapoport, Barth’s release signals that Kyle Brindza will open the regular season as the Bucs’ kicker. However, Patrick Murray remains on the team’s roster as well, so it’s not clear if that’s set in stone quite yet. We should get some more clarity when Tampa Bay officially announces its cuts, but Brindza looks like the choice, given Murray’s preseason struggles.

Barth is the second notable Buccaneer whose release has been confirmed today — the club is also parting with former second-round pick Da’Quan Bowers.

Buccaneers To Sign Connor Barth

August 26th, 2015 at 7:37pm CST by Zachary Links

7:37pm: It’s a two-year, $2.75MM deal for Barth, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.

7:21pm: The Buccaneers are set to sign kicker Connor Barth, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. Barth was released by Denver earlier today.

Barth, 29, was signed by the Broncos last November to replace Brandon McManus, who was struggling with his accuracy. However, McManus beat Barth out for the kicking job in Denver this season, even though Barth finished the 2014 campaign by nailing 15 of 16 field goals for Denver. Now, Barth will return to the Buccaneers in hopes of becoming their primary kicker.

Barth will vie with Pat Murray for the Bucs’ kicking job in 2015. Murray got his athletic start in Gaelic football, the national sport of Ireland, and transitioned smoothly to American football. Murray edged Barth for the kicking job in training camp last season and he’ll look to do the same in this year’s rematch. He connected on 20 field goals in 24 attempts in 2014 (83.3%).

Broncos Release Connor Barth

August 26th, 2015 at 9:27am CST by Luke Adams

To accommodate their signing of free agent guard Evan Mathis, the Broncos have created a spot on their roster by releasing Connor Barth, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The move indicates that Brandon McManus has won Denver’s kicking job.

Barth, 29, was signed by the Broncos last November to replace McManus, who was struggling with his accuracy. The former Buccaneers kicker finished the season by making 15 of 16 field goals for Denver, but was beat out in camp this year by McManus. The 24-year-old has the bigger leg of the two players, and can handle kickoffs better, but made just nine of 13 field goal attempts in his rookie year in 2014.

While the move is bad news for Barth in the short term, he immediately becomes one of the most talented kickers on the free agent market. If another team has its kicker go down with an injury or perform poorly in the early going, Barth figures to be one of the first potential replacements to get a call.

Broncos Sign Connor Barth

November 25th, 2014 at 4:47pm CST by Luke Adams

4:47pm: Klis clarifies (via Twitter) that Barth is signed for two more years after the 2014 season.

4:40pm: It’s a multiyear contract for Barth, according to Klis (via Twitter). The Denver Post report indicates that it’s a “two-year contract that last through 2016,” which seems to be conflicting info — a deal through the 2016 season would be for three years, including the current season. In any case, it appears the Broncos view Barth as a potential long-term option, which may be one reason the team signed him instead of Feely, who is 10 years older.

2:32pm: The Broncos are replacing kicker Brandon McManus, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who reports that the team is signing veteran free agent Connor Barth. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirms (via Twitter) that McManus has been waived as the corresponding move to accommodate the team’s new kicker.

Barth, 28, started his NFL career in 2008 with the Chiefs and moved on to Tampa Bay, where he was the Buccaneers’ kicker for four seasons. After missing the 2013 season with a torn Achilles, Barth was beaten out for Tampa Bay’s kicking job by Patrick Murray this past summer, leading to his release. The North Carolina product, who has made 84.2% of 120 career field goal attempts – including 12 of 19 from 50+ yards – also auditioned for the Lions last month before landing with the Broncos.

McManus was acquired by the Broncos at the end of the preseason from the Giants after Matt Prater received a four-game suspension. Denver ultimately elected to keep the rookie over the veteran, cutting Prater when his suspension ended, but McManus was inconsistent, making just nine of 13 field goal tries, and missing a 33-yarder against the Dolphins this past Sunday.

We first heard yesterday that the Broncos were considering a change at kicker, with Barth and fellow veteran Jay Feely coming in to try out for the team. Per Schefter (via Twitter), Feely also impressed during his workout, making 14 of 15 attempts, including a 60-yarder.

Broncos Considering Kicker Change

November 24th, 2014 at 4:36pm CST by Zachary Links

4:36pm: There could be others joining Feely and Barth at tomorrow’s audition, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

3:32pm: It will be Connor Barth auditioning alongside Jay Feely on Tuesday, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post.

2:30pm: Broncos coach John Fox denies that he’s looking for a new leg, tweets Lindsay Jones of USA Today. “Contrary to whatever Adam Schefter is reporting, there is no ‘search’ for a kicker,” Fox said. Regardless of how Fox wants to frame it, the Broncos are still having kickers in for tryouts (link).

2:23pm: The Broncos will bring Jay Feely in for a workout on Tuesday, two NFL sources tell Mike Klis of The Denver Post. Feely, 38, has kicked in 13 NFL seasons for five teams, most recently last season with the Cardinals.

Klis adds that Denver will also audition a second veteran kicker, though it’s not known who that might be. Among the veterans available are Alex Henery, Garrett Hartley, Connor Barth, John Potter, and Nate Kaeding.

2:22pm: The Broncos are considering a kicking change and they’re planning to work out kickers this week, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Brandon McManus has missed four field goal attempts this season, including a 33-yard attempt in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against Miami.

The Broncos could go on to win 39-36, but McManus’ struggles understandably have Denver concerned. Looking ahead to the final five games of the season and the postseason, Denver could be compelled to move on to their third kicker in 2014. Matt Prater, of course, was set to be the Broncos’ kicker this season before a four-game suspension threw a wrench into those plans. McManus was originally brought aboard as a stopgap but General Manager John Elway wound up keeping him and releasing Prater. Prater connected on 25-of-26 field goal tries in 2013, including a 64-yard kick that broke a 43-year-old record.

Lions Release Alex Henery

October 6th, 2014 at 11:53am CST by Zachary Links

12:15pm: Connor Barth will be a part of the auditions tomorrow too, according to Birkett (via Twitter).

12:06pm: Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater will join Feely for the workout, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

11:53am: Jay Feely is on his way to Detroit to work out for the Lions tomorrow, a source tells Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter).

11:25am: That didn’t take long. Lions coach Jim Caldwell told reporters, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter), that the team has cut kicker Alex Henery. The Lions have not signed his replacement yet, but that should be coming rather soon.

Henery missed all three of his field goal attempts yesterday, including a 50-yard attempt that would have given Detroit a 17-14 win. Instead, it was the Bills and kicker Dan Carpenter who got the field goal opportunity and the win by the same score. Henery missed a 52-yarder but made a 51-yard field goal try against the Jets, giving him a 1-5 completion percentage over his two weeks for Detroit.

The Lions will now move on to their third kicker in the 2014 season. Nate Freese, who won the preseason battle over Giorgio Tavecchio for the job, was axed after he missed a costly field goal against the Packers in Week 3.

Caldwell said experience will be a factor in the selection of their next kicker, tweets Birkett.

Free Agent Notes: Patterson, Bailey, Kafka, Painter

August 30th, 2014 at 10:18pm CST by Ben Levine

It was a busy day in the NFL, and plenty of free agents are now looking for a new home. Let’s see where some of them could be heading…

  • The Texans have already expressed interest in former Jets cornerback Dimitri Patterson, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
  • The Saints don’t have a kicker on their roster, but they shouldn’t be worried. Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole tweets that there are plenty of options in free agency, including Ryan Succop, Connor Barth and Jay Feely.
  • NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport spoke to Champ Bailey‘s agent, Jack Reale, who indicated that the veteran “definitely” still wants to play and is completely healthy. “He had a plantar problem which is resolved. He just missed too much time for the coach’s evaluation to be complete,” Reale said (via Rapoport’s Twitter).
  • The Buccaneers will look to bring back quarterback Mike Kafka to their practice squad, tweets the Tampa Tribune’s Roy Cummings.
  • Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com wonders if the 49ers could have interest in offensive lineman Vinston Painter. Florio refers to the 49ers attempt to sign Painter away from the Broncos prior to the conference championship games.
  • If Joe Banyard clears waivers, he will end up on the Vikings practice squad, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  • The Bills aren’t expected to add another quarterback, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan.

Bucs Release Barth, English, Others

August 29th, 2014 at 2:02pm CST by Zachary Links

2:02pm: Connor Barth is the latest Buccaneer to be cut, according to Stroud (via Twitter). Barth had been owed a $2MM base salary, along with up to $1.15MM in per-game roster bonuses for the coming season, so it appears the Bucs will opt for a less expensive option at the position. For now, Patrick Murray is the only kicker left on the roster.

12:53pm: Tackle/guard Jamon Meredith will also be let go, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

12:24pm: Linebacker Nate Askew, cornerbacks Marc Anthony and Kip Edwards, defensive back Anthony Gaitor, defensive end Larry English, offensive tackle Edawn Coughman, and offensive linemen Jeremiah Warren and Andrew Miller have also been cut, according to Auman (Twitter links).

9:49am: The Buccaneers have released four players in advance of tomorrow’s deadline, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). Tampa Bay will bid farewell to linebacker Ka’Lial Glaud, fullback Lonnie Pryor, rookie cornerback Keith Lewis, and defensive end T.J. Fatinikun on their way to trimming to a 53-man roster.

Lewis, a cornerback out of Virginia-Lynchburg, intercepted a pass from Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy in last night’s preseason finale, but it apparently wasn’t enough to convince Bucs coaches to keep him on the roster. Glaud, who has a tie to former coach Greg Schiano thanks to his time at Rutgers, signed with the Bucs as a UDFA in May 2013. Pryor, a local Florida State product, hooked on with Tampa Bay last season after he was let go by the Jaguars. Fatinikun hooked on with the Buccaneers earlier this month after spending time in the Arena Football League last season.

Rob Bironas Works Out For Buccaneers

August 6th, 2014 at 10:52am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime Titans kicker Rob Bironas was released by the Titans in a cost-cutting move earlier this offseason, but the veteran free agent appears to be on the lookout for a new job for the 2014 season. According to JoeBucsFan.com, Bironas worked out for the Buccaneers this morning. The club also took a look at former Texas punter and kicker Anthony Fera.

Connor Barth, who is coming off an Achilles injury that sidelined him for the 2013 season, is currently lined up to be the team’s regular kicker for 2014. While Barth was effective before his injury and seems to have fully recovered, he’s owed a $2MM base salary, along with up to $1.15MM in per-game roster bonuses for the coming season, so perhaps Tampa Bay views Bironas as a less expensive option who will post similar numbers. For his part, Bironas has remained accurate in recent years, converting field goals at an 87.3% rate over the last four seasons, including 86.2% last year.

Like Barth, incumbent Bucs punter Michael Koenen also isn’t on a cheap contract, as he’s set to earn a $3.25MM base salary in 2014 after ranking as the 23rd-best and 24th-best punter in the NFL over the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).

For now, it doesn’t appear as if the Bucs are interested in making significant alterations to their special teams unit, but the fact that the team is looking at other options could signal potential changes down the road.

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