Alex Henery, Philadelphia Eagle

Diomedes · May 01, 2011, 08:00:09 AM

I agree PhillyandBC, a good kicker is very important. Taking a fourth round chance on the most accurate kicker in NCAA history is not much of a risk.

I don't see the Eagles (or any other NFL team) going with only one kicking specialist though. Even if Henery can punt well enough to do the job in the NFL, I don't imagine the coaches want to raise the stakes of an injury to their kicker by making him the only one on the roster. As insurance against an injury to the punter he'll be more valuable than a kicker who cannot punt, but I don't see him freeing up a roster spot.

QB Eagles · May 01, 2011, 08:06:11 AM

Quote from: Diomedes on May 01, 2011, 08:00:09 AM
I don't see the Eagles (or any other NFL team) going with only one kicking specialist though. Even if Henery can punt well enough to do the job in the NFL, I don't imagine the coaches want to raise the stakes of an injury to their kicker by making him the only one on the roster. As insurance against an injury to the punter he'll be more valuable than a kicker who cannot punt, but I don't see him freeing up a roster spot.

Henery also isn't nearly as good of a punter as he is a kicker, from everything I hear. No doubt he'd be the emergency punter, though.

Rome · May 01, 2011, 08:07:45 AM

Quote from: FastFreddie on May 01, 2011, 06:58:13 AM
Who cares? Whoever they might have picked instead would have sucked anyway. Maybe a white defensive end or a flyer on a QB who can understand a playbook but has a noodle arm?

This pretty much nails it for me. Agree completely.

DH · May 01, 2011, 04:19:18 PM

Last year, with 4 4th rounders, the eagles took Kafka, Lindley, Clayton and Harbor. None of those players had the impact in 10' that Henery has the potential to have in 11' and beyond..he may even win a game or two. Traditionally, sure it's early to take a kicker, but if he does indeed play like he did at Nebraska then this pick is actually a pretty good one.

Akers effectiveness over most of the past decade somewhat spoils us because the team didn't lose many games because of him and in fact won plenty because of him. Continually having to shuffle in kickers throughout a season (or seasons) is a huge distraction and if this pick assures an above average kicking game for the next 5-whenever year span, then I think for once, they actually were smarter than everyone.

ice grillin you · May 01, 2011, 05:29:30 PM

i was reading a scouting report on this guy and came across this gem "may lose balance when footing is poor"

i guess when listing a fg kickers weaknesses you run out of things to say after "misses a lot of kicks"

PhillyPhreak54 · May 01, 2011, 09:10:15 PM

QuoteTheir selection of Henery in Round 4 had spite written all over it. I have no problem with them going out and getting another kicker, particularly a guy who was the most accurate field goal kicker in NCAA history. But like Jarrett, they could've gotten him later. Taking him in the fourth round was their way of sending a message to David Akers and every other player that they don't like people who have the audacity turn down contract offers from them.[\quote]

Domo nails it.

QB Eagles · May 01, 2011, 09:43:39 PM

Wait... the Eagles were gonna draft Henery later, but decided to take him in the fourth round, because they thought that somehow David Akers would interpret a Round 4 selection as "sending a message" that a Round 5 or 6 selection wouldn't send?

That's retarded.

MDS · May 02, 2011, 12:32:41 AM

its 2011

everything needs to be over-analyzed.

howie driving a lexus instead of a bmw is proof that hes something or other i dont know pick it up from here igy

PhillyandBCEagles · May 02, 2011, 05:22:13 AM

It was a good pick. That said after everything Akers has done for this team if it comes out that they didn't give him a heads-up ahead of time (at least that they were considering drafting a kicker), which I bet they didn't, I'll be pretty pissed.

Diomedes · May 02, 2011, 05:35:44 AM

F Akers.

ice grillin you · May 02, 2011, 08:21:44 AM

Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on May 01, 2011, 09:10:15 PM
QuoteTheir selection of Henery in Round 4 had spite written all over it. I have no problem with them going out and getting another kicker, particularly a guy who was the most accurate field goal kicker in NCAA history. But like Jarrett, they could've gotten him later. Taking him in the fourth round was their way of sending a message to David Akers and every other player that they don't like people who have the audacity turn down contract offers from them.[\quote]

Domo nails it.

they called him out after his kid got sick taking a player at his position in the draft is small potatos for them

PoopyfaceMcGee · May 03, 2011, 08:49:43 PM

Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on May 01, 2011, 09:10:15 PM
QuoteTheir selection of Henery in Round 4 had spite written all over it. I have no problem with them going out and getting another kicker, particularly a guy who was the most accurate field goal kicker in NCAA history. But like Jarrett, they could've gotten him later. Taking him in the fourth round was their way of sending a message to David Akers and every other player that they don't like people who have the audacity turn down contract offers from them.[\quote]

Domo nails it.

He sure nailed it better than you nailed the quote function.

Hawk · May 05, 2011, 07:09:45 PM

This was the best pick of the draft. I don't care if it was in the 4th round. We had like 5 4th round picks last year and the only one I can name is Kafka. This guy is a starter from day one. A+

SunMo · May 05, 2011, 07:19:37 PM

nm

PhillyPhreak54 · May 09, 2011, 10:16:09 PM

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-eagles/Akers-Writings-on-the-wall.html

Look past the premonition and prayer stuff and it boils down to this right here fellas;

QuoteIn December, the Eagles and Akers had talked about a contract extension. The team offered a deal that would have made him one of the top five kickers in the league, but Akers passed, according to league sources.

He went on to have one the best regular seasons of his career. Akers connected on 32 of 38 field goal attempts, booted a career-best 23 touchbacks and was voted to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time. But he missed two very makeable field goal tries in the Eagles' 21-16 playoff loss to the Packers.

"We can all count," Reid said after the game. "Those points would have helped."

Later it was learned that Akers' mind might have been elsewhere. His daughter, Halley, was about to have a cancerous ovary removed. On Monday, Akers said that she is fine and now cancer-free.

Still, he does not know where his future lies. There are a number of teams that could use a kicking upgrade, including the NFC East's Cowboys, taterskins and Giants. Akers did not rule out the possibility of staying in Philadelphia

Rejected a contract

Pisses management off "how dare he reject a golden contract!"

Kicks the ball OOB in the Minny game = Reid goes on blast mode

Misses FGs in a playoff game and its goodnight career in Philadelphia with a kick to the nuts on the way out with a normally stoic and ardent defender of his players Andy Reid placing blame on him.