38-year old kicker Phil Dawson just tweeted he has signed with the 49ers. His tweet: “I am humbled & thrilled to have the opportunity to continue my career with my new team, the SF 49ers!”
Dawson made 93 percent of his field goal attempts last season (29 for 31). He was tied for the best field goal percentage in the NFL. On kicks longer than 50 yards, Dawson was seven-for-seven.
Do you like this signing? Should the 49ers still draft a kicker?
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Can he play F/S, too?
You mean QB?
I like signing a reliable veteran kicker. His last year (pro-bowl) a little bit of an anomaly. Overall for career a 84% kicker. It’s good sign that last year was a better year- an indication that he is not on the decline. I get why the niners like older tested veterans. But I kinda feel like getting a younger guy and developing him would be a good idea as well.
With 14 draft picks I think it’s still worthwhile to take a flier on a kicker late in the draft. Maybe they get lucky and find somebody who is capable of being the full-time kicker right away, which would be great because then they have a low cost option locked up for 4 years at a time when they will be needing to allocate money elsewhere to lock up other guys (Kap, Aldon, Iupati, Crabtree, etc.) long-term.
Am I banned from posting? I’m 0 for 2 today – David Akers territory.
Good one!
Nice. This takes away one weakness. Now lets focus on D-line, secondary, and WR.
Great signing.
Can’t figure out why the Browns let him go.
Do you like this signing? Should the 49ers still draft a kicker?
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Yes and yes. Cant hurt to have a veteran on the team ready to play from day one and Dawson isn’t a long term guy so signing a young kicker in the late rounds to groom for a year is also a good idea.
Let me rephrase that. That sounded like we should carry two kickers. I meant that if the rookie doesnt pan out we still have Dawson and if the draft pick can play we’ll just cut the veteran and let the kid learn on the job for a year. Contingent upon Dawson’s contract details.
Sorry Coffee but that’s crazy… the guy is a stud kicker that was #2 last year. He’s the starter hands down… no way to waste a pick on a kicker now. If it was a so so vet than yeah but not with this guy.
Well consider this before calling me crazy;
Dawson has never attempted more then 36 kicks in a season and Akers averaged 47 attempts over the past two years.
Dawson’s 93% is well above his career average of 84% and the year before last he only hit 83% of his kicks. His kick off average of 60.8 isn’t terrible but the last two kickers we’ve had averaged 64 yards on their kick offs.
Is he a bad kicker, no. Is he a great kicker, no. He’s insurance if we dont find anything better between now and the start of the season.
When Dawson is kicking nearly 50 times a season how will a 38 year old kicker who’s never kicked more then 40 times in a year going to hold up? Will he remain that high of a percentage attempting nearly 20 more kicks then he’s ever done?
Playing for the Browns you aren’t going to get a lot of field goal attempts in a season. I still think he has a few years left. I like the fact that he went 7 for 7 on 50 plus yarders. He has range and also playing in the cold he is adapt to playing in all weather conditions. Can’t go wrong wth signing a probowler in a position that we needed.
I like the signing, but at the age of 38 there you have to wonder how much Dawson has left in the tank. I think the potential of the team drafting a kicker still remains depending on the length of Dawson’s deal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/sports/football/09score.html?_r=0
Thanks for this!
Razor – Really good read. Thanks, man.
You know JH likes those statistics!
Great article. Thanks Razor.
I don’t think kickers have the age question unless they’re nearing 40+… Seriously all they have to do is kick a ball. :-)
Called this the other day. Great signing and great win
for Seely and the Special Forces
My thoughts exactly, MidWest…it’s good for the experience, but what about the young kicker who was with us in TC last season ? He was good enough to push Akers.
I expected the signing. Not sure what took so long. I do not anticipate the 49ers taking a kicker with one of their draft picks now. Not necessary. Bring in a F/A or that Italian dude from last year.
Now all they have to do is draft Margus Hunt — for field goal blocking — and our special teams will be the envy of the league.
Ha! Yea, he is one freaky dude:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/18992316/the-freak-list-the-10-craziest-athletes-in-college-football
Instantly the best nickname in the league: “The Eastern Block”
Great signing! Kickers typically have longer playing careers because they don’t take as much physical abuse. He’s probably got 2-3 more good years (barring injury like Akers). So we really don’t need to draft a kicker this year unless a stud falls to us and we can manage to hide him on the roster or cut Dawson and let the young guy go to town.
Good move. Drafting a kicker still makes sense but they no longer need to overdraft one.
Harbs likes competition so resign Akers, he deseves a 2nd chance…I’m completely BS-ing!
Dawson is a solid kicker. Good riddance to Fakers!
Good riddance? Fakers? Really?
I am glad that the 49ers replaced Akers, and Dawson is clearly an upgrade. That said, what’s with the ungrateful and needlessly ungracious comment? The man did a lot for the 49ers in 2011 and in 2012 until he re-injured himself.
+1
I like the signing. What I don’t like is my comments not posting. Also frustrating there is no direct email contact for Grant like there is for other staff.
Hoping its a technical issues and not something I said.
Lol ive bn tryna post on this comment since it pooped up. I couldnt post either
A
Dawson is clutch and the winds of Lake Erie are not all that different than Candlestick point. Good signing!
Good point PhD. He also has experience kicking on frozen fields.
good signing now we have someone who can do this:
http://cdn2.mocksession.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/HUMAN-PHIL-DAWSON.gif
HEY! That’s pretty slick! Did the play work for the Chiefs?
Sorry…meant the AFC.
Not at all. But it was cool he tried. Can’t do those things in a meaningful game.
Marlin Moore? Anybody????
At 42, Jason Hanson is still doing a good job with Det. So age with this position not as important. Good signing getting Dawson.
I love this signing. Dawson is championship calibur. I was silently hoping for this a month ago.
I called this a ouple days ago. Good signing and good win for Seely and the Special Forces