skins5060 Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=11479 tight end Robert Johnson and linebacker Robert McCune. Wish Novak the best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins5060 Posted November 5, 2005 Author Share Posted November 5, 2005 sorry, forgot to post the article: The Redskins released Nick Novak on Saturday, ending the kicker's seven-week run with the team. With John Hall fully recovered from a quad injury and punter Derrick Frost available for kickoffs, the team no longer needed two kickers on the roster. Also on Saturday, the Redskins elevated a pair of practice squad players--tight end Robert Johnson and linebacker Robert McCune--to the 53-man roster released cornerback Dimitri Patterson. Johnson is a 6-6, 278-pound tight end out of Auburn who impressed coaches in training camp and preseason. He has spent the first eight weeks of the NFL season on the Redskins' practice squad. Johnson played briefly in the NFL with the Chicago Bears during the 2003 season. McCune was the Redskins' fifth-round draft choice last April. If active on Sunday, the 6-1, 245-pound linebacker out of Louisville would make his NFL debut. Like Johnson, McCune has spent the first eight weeks of the NFL season on the practice squad. Nick Novak watches his game-winning kick against Seattle sail through the uprights. (Eric Espada Photo) Novak gained valuable experience over the last few weeks as an NFL kicker. He took over for John Hall, who had sustained a quad injury after kicking three field goals in the Redskins' Week 1 over the Chicago Bears. Novak joined the Redskins just prior to the Week 2 game at Dallas. Talk about pressure. The rookie out of Maryland was making his NFL debut on Monday Night Football. He wasn't needed to kick any field goals at Texas Stadium, but he did kick two extra points, including the extra point that proved to be a game-winner in the Redskins' stunning 14-13 comeback win. It has been forgotten that Novak logged a key tackle on a kick return after the Redskins had taken a lead late in the game. As the line of defense, Novak knocked kick return man Tyson Thomson out of bounds, preventing a Cowboys touchdown. A week later, the magic continued. Against the Seattle Seahawks at FedExField, Novak was 2-of-3 on field goals and nailed a 39-yard field goal in overtime to seal a 20-17 win for the Redskins. After the kick, in front of a roaring FedExField crowd, Novak celebrated by running toward the Redskins' sideline and leaping into the arms of guard Derrick Dockery. That has been one of the indelible images of the Redskins' season so far. For the season, Novak played in five games and was 5-of-7 on field goals, with a long of 40, and 15-of-15 on PATs. The Redskins remained committed to Hall, a 9-year veteran who is in his third year in Washington. Hall was ready to return last Sunday against the New York Giants, but it turned out he was not needed as the Redskins lost 36-0. Patterson, a rookie out of Tuskegee, has spent time on the Redskins' active roster and practice squad this season. It's possible that he will be resigned to the practice squad following Sunday's game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goaldeje Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 I like Johnson, and would love to see him in on 5-7 snaps, just to see how his blocking is, and see if we can get a little more production from the TE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallen5862 Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 I hope somehow that Novak clears waivers and that we can sign him to the practice squad. Hall does not need to be doing all the Kicking in practice plus would be nice insurance if Novak was on our Practice squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsTillIDie Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Robert Johnson... can you say "redzone target"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmorris Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Mark my words on this one, Novak is going to be a good kicker in this league for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QBkilla56 Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! My world is crumbling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The X-Factor Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Mark my words on this one, Novak is going to be a good kicker in this league for a long time. I think you may be right. He won't last too long on the market. Does anyone else think that Royal's roster spot is in jeopardy? One more awful game like last week could be his last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktball74 Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Just like when we let Akers go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChampSkinsFanatic Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 This is sad news Novak is the greatest kicker in NFL history and we released him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demarc007 Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 I really hate we had to do this. Hall will be hurt in two weeks and Novak will be playing for Dallas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 I don't like it either. Hall, when healthy, is a helluva kicker. However, he's not young, and I'll predict now he won't last the rest of the regular season. I'd rather see them release Hall and take our chances with Novak. Short-sighted move imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Pretty silly to project Novak as a Hall of Famer and criticize the Skins for this ... they really had no choice. No way Hall's contract OR skills justify letting him go, even for a nice guy who's shown some accuracy from in close but only average leg-strength. I wish Novak well, but the move to me was a no-brainer. TE Johnson, by the way, is a guy I had a chance to watch in training camp. He is one BIG and agile guy, who showed pretty good hands and instincts. Not sure obviously if he's ready between the ears or capable of translating his practice work to the game field, but I'm intrigued as hell by the guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FightForOldDC21 Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 novak is my boy job well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallen5862 Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Thats why I am hoping we can get him on our Practice squad at least. I hope we have given Novak that assurance before we cut him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Pretty silly to project Novak as a Hall of Famer and criticize the Skins for this ... they really had no choice. No way Hall's contract OR skills justify letting him go, even for a nice guy who's shown some accuracy from in close but only average leg-strength. I wish Novak well, but the move to me was a no-brainer.TE Johnson, by the way, is a guy I had a chance to watch in training camp. He is one BIG and agile guy, who showed pretty good hands and instincts. Not sure obviously if he's ready between the ears or capable of translating his practice work to the game field, but I'm intrigued as hell by the guy. Mark - I saw Novak nailing 55 and 60 yarders last week. And all the leg-strength and credentials in the world don't mean jack if you have a chronic injury problem and can't stay on the field. A steady above-average kicker trumps a talented injury prone one every time. Do you want to be relying on some journeyman who's dubious beyond 40 yards if we need to win the last 3 games of the season? I don't. Now there may be contract reasons why they made this decision, but I don't think it makes a lot of sense if you're building for the next 3-4 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsair_joe Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 i bet dallas signs him pretty quick, too bad.:dallasuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonnyRules Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Wishing Novack well, wherever he goes. ( Maryland alumni). Hopefully it won't be with the Cowpukes; they had him in training camp earlier this year and they need a quality kicker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsTillIDie Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Novak's kickoffs are generally horrible - this seems to be often forgotten by many people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREDICTOR Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Biggest mistake the Redskin have made this year. This kid has a loooonnnngggggg future ahead of him, he makes all the kicks, he has ice water in his veins and he would be cheaper than Hall. Not to mention Hall keeps getting hurt...and Novac isn't. MISTAKE with capitol letters. This will rank up there with cutting Frank Wycheck and cutting Trent Green. Finally found a dependable field goal kicker and the Redskins cut him. This is the kind of move teams make when they want to continue making the playoffs at the rate of once every 12 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonnyRules Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Novak's kickoffs are generally horrible - this seems to be often forgotten by many people Doesn't get it much inside the 20 yard line; does he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 I agree his kickoffs aren't impressing. Enjoy Hall's while you can - because he won't last more than a game or two in all likelihood. Then we'll be grading some NFL castoffs kickoffs on Wed-Thursday of game week. The way this team plays, you'd better have a kicker in your stable who can hit a 50 yd field goal consistently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Pretty funny, John. I was writing my post while you were writing yours, which I'd not seen---mine wasn't directed at your comments. That said ... my guess is the team recognized the same realities you do, but clearly felt that the totality of circumstance dictated NOT eating Hall's contract for Novak. I just happen to agree with 'em. Mostly because Novak looks to me like so many other young kickers that come into the league---generally solid, but nothing particularly compelling. I may be totally wrong, but there's no way we'll know that for at least a couple of years. Not sure I can support either projecting him as a sure thing, or criticize the team for not making the same leap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvan1 Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 they need to cut robert royal next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuels Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Did Novak even make a kick longer then 40 yards and now everybody acts like were cutting a hall of famer gimme a break. The coaches have watched both kick and they know if Novak was even close in terms of kicking ability they woulda kept him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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