Tampa Bay Buccaneers claimed kicker Elliot Fry off waivers on Friday, following General Manager, Jason Licht’s promise to bring a kicker to compete with Matt Gay. After inking the deal and bringing in onboard a kicker who is yet to play a regular-season NFL game, Licht released a statement that read: “We feel Matt is going to be better this year,” Licht said, before adding “We feel Matt has a big upside. But we’re definitely planning on adding competition.”
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It seemed as if the Bucs took an opportunity when the Panthers released the 25-year-old kicker they signed back in December, this Thursday. This would be his fifth team in 2 years. The former South Carolina kicker was in the Chicago Bears last year, effortlessly battling for a starting job. Things didn’t work out well as he was released shortly before the season. Shortly after that, he was picked up by the Baltimore Ravens. Later they released him even without giving him a chance to kick in an NFL game. Now he has found a spot on Tom Brady’s Buccs.
Will Elliot Fry be a healthy competition to Matt Gay
Despite being a player with no NFL games, Tampa Bay claimed him to compete against the 26-year-old placekicker, Matt Gay. Matt was the Bucs’ fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. His rookie year ended up with 27 conversions out of a total of 35 field-goal attempts and a 43-of-48 in terms of extra-point attempts. Matt Gay got a lot of backlash after missing the kick against the Giants in the season finale. Going into 2020, his career seemed unlikely to progress with Bucs. But the signing of Elliot Fry shows that the team is not done with Matt already. Fry would definitely motivate him and this competition could help in reestablishing Matt’s form.
As far as the situation for Elliot Fry goes, this stint with Bucs will surely help him in learning the dynamics behind the NFL. On the other hand, he used to be very good with Orlando Apollos. With a 14-of-14 on field goal attempts with Apollos, the youngster will surely be a healthy competitor to Matt. Buccaneers would be a great place for him too. Matt and Elliot might get rid of the poor kicking stats that the team has. With just 75.1 percent on field goal conversion in 2018 and 71 percent in 2016, it is about time the team defunct their kicking woes.
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