Redskins.com twitter - Redskins officially sign K Rackers and LB Goff

[HTTR F Dallas]

Some stats for thought:

1st 3 years in the league:

Rackers - 44/67 = 65.6%

Gano - 59/80 = 73.8%

Career Kicking Outside vs Inside

Rackers Outisde - 195/251 = 77.7%

Gano Outside - 50/69 = 72.4%

Rackers Inside - 69/79 = 87.3%

Gano Inside - 9/11 = 81.8%

% Kicked Indoors vs. Outdoors

Rackers - 21%

Gano - 11%

If Rackers were to have kicked only 11 % of his kicks Inside, like Gano has, Rackers career FG% (based on his previous Outside kicking percentage) would go from a Career 84.2% to 78.5%....

You have to consider the environment that Rackers has been kicking in to truly gauge how he would do as a Redskin. Higher pressure games in the NFC East vs. NFC West as well as Colder weather stadiums with more kicks outside in the elements.

I'm all for a better kicker and right now, today, Rackers might have the edge on Gano, but don't act like Rackers is that much better than him, becuase he really isn't. I'd rather give Gano another year as the rest of our team is growing and getting better in hopes that he'll improve as well, than bring in a mediocre kicker that will need to be replaced in a few years due to age anyway.

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

Im happy with both signings, competition for Gano and not a shabby kicker in Rackers. Also LB depth.

[RWJ]

Is it possible that Gano will be our PK on KO and Rackers will be our FG kicker. Just thought I would throw that out there.

[757SeanTaylor21]

^^so u want two roster spots for a kicker? Negative sir not gonna happen. Rack just used for competition

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

^^so u want two roster spots for a kicker? Negative sir not gonna happen. Rack just used for competition

Yeah, that wont happen. Its not like we have an older kicker (see John Kasey) who could still drill most FGs between 50-55 yards consistently and need another kicker to do kick offs so his leg doesn't go dead halfway through the season...........waste of a roster spot unless you're in that situation and its still considered a waste of a spot in most teams eyes.

[amm0409]

I like the signings but Im real excited to see if Goff can come back from his injury cause his "GOOD!!!" We got some talent at the LB position for sure going to be fun to watch

[redskindan07]

Maybe Goff can bring us some insight to the NY playbook

[lou4gehrig]

Rackers is a solid professional NFL placekicker. Gano is not. Competition's over.

Agreed. Rackers is a top 10 (maybe 5 kicker) and a better player than Gano.

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

Agreed. Rackers is a top 10 (maybe 5 kicker) and a better player than Gano.

Well all of Rackers misses were from 40+ yards except one 36 yarder (which happens). And I know two or three were missed from 49-51 yards and I believe the others were longer 40 yarders too. He missed six total last year. Unlike Gano who missed from 25 yards and missed another 4-5 kicks from 30-39 yards (he missed 10 total kicks)........unacceptable imo.

[Epochalypse]

Shayne Graham was one of the most accurate kickers in history when he came in...

He got Gano'ed

[Bangee7]

More quality work by the FO.

Goff is a heat-seeking missle in his highlight film.

Did anyone try to block him or did he just slip every block?

If he's healthy, I think he becomes a starter.

And as far as Rackers, he is a legit K in the league.

Can't say the same for Gano yet.

The K game was a HUGE problem last year (accuracy & blocks).

I'm personally rooting for Rackers, but will settle as long as Gano gets better.

Even a slight improvement in the K game, makes the 'skins better immediately.

Hail!

[RawBBQSauce]

I'm all for a better kicker and right now, today, Rackers might have the edge on Gano, but don't act like Rackers is that much better than him, becuase he really isn't. I'd rather give Gano another year as the rest of our team is growing and getting better in hopes that he'll improve as well, than bring in a mediocre kicker that will need to be replaced in a few years due to age anyway.

Wish I could have said it better. The only thing I would say is that I'm not even so sure Rackers is the better kicker right now. Don't let the public perception persuade you. Rackers is losing his touch and Gano getting blocked is not his fault. He's a damn good kicker. He is a young guy that gets no respect and will prove himself once again.

[blindlywewander]

Love the Goff signing. He's young and if healthy, will challenge Perry Riley and the other young LBs for playing time.

Don't care for Rackers. I like the idea of pushing Gano, but ultimately I think Gano is going to be a great kicker. If we let Gano go, I will be very disappointed.

[roanoker]

Glad both were signed as they provide good competition at both positions.

[skinsfan4life7]

The main problem with Gano is he lights it up in practice and preseason and beats out competition. Then he falters in big game situations but inflates his kicking % later in the year when the kicks don't have pressure and it looks like he has a better season.

What's going to happen is Gano will beat out Rackers in camp and win the job, then be back to the same old Gano. I definitely think Rackers is an upgrade, but as others have said in this post, might as well keep Gano and let him grow with the team. Sometimes it takes kickers years to finally get it, and Gano sure does have a big leg. Which also means he is much better at kickoffs than Rackers.

Ultimately the FO had to bring in competition to make Gano work harder and to please the fan base, because obviously missing 10 kicks as well has 2-3 game winners is unacceptable. On the other hand, if Gano makes those kicks, we are giving up four 1st rounders for RG3, so maybe Gano should be our hero?

Hail

[Bang]

You know what I'm going to say.

I'm all for competition.

But the kicker isn't the problem

~Bang

[charles mannley]

I am sorry guys I hate Rackers he is a choke artist.

[UKskins]

On the other hand, if Gano makes those kicks, we are giving up four 1st rounders for RG3, so maybe Gano should be our hero?

Hail

Couldn't say it better. FWIW I think Gano will be a great kicker in this league and I want him to beat Rackers at camp/Pre-Season. He beat Graham last season, and Graham is a better K than Rackers in my opinion. Gano needs to learn not to choke, but he is a young guy and he will get better at this. As others have alluded to, several of Gano's "misses" last season were blocked cuz the line didn't do it's job and protect him. That ain't his fault. Gano's stats from last season look much better if you don't blame him for the failings of others.

Yeah he missed some clutch kicks, but if he made them then we would still have John Beck on the roster and Kirk Cousins would be our starter. Every cloud. HAIL!

[Quincy]

Kicker might not be a problem, but every time kicking position should try to be addressed for consistency. Rackers is a veteran kicker who should provide more consistency than Gano, or at least get Gano to get motivated.

[KCClybun]

Well all of Rackers misses were from 40+ yards except one 36 yarder (which happens). And I know two or three were missed from 49-51 yards and I believe the others were longer 40 yarders too. He missed six total last year. Unlike Gano who missed from 25 yards and missed another 4-5 kicks from 30-39 yards (he missed 10 total kicks)........unacceptable imo.

Is that before or after the blocks.

Just going to take a shot in the dark and say before...

---------- Post added May-1st-2012 at 01:05 AM ----------

The thing about kickers is, everyone hates kickers. No one remembers the kicks they make. The best kickers are the ones you don't notice. The thing is, soon as Rackers misses a kick, and if Gano's got a job somewhere else and he's making them, everyone's going to ***** about how we let go of another kicker who became better, like Akers, like Novak, like Suisham, like pretty much every kicker that we decided to cut who became solid elsewhere.

[sportjunkie07]

And like I said, when Gano and Rackers tie in preseason and camp, and Rackers ends up getting cut, and Gano stays, I'm waiting for the inevitable meltdown.

It's going to be funny.

im in this camp and im pretty much the biggest Gano homer there is. never doubted him from day 1 because he was immediately better than the kickers we had previously, had a stronger leg for kickoffs, and has potential to get better.

he could get beat out, but i dont think rackers fits with the team's long term plans and i believe shanny likes gano anyways.

[THE HAMMER'IN HOG]

Rackers can't solve the Danny Smith problem. I won't be convinced that our special teams issues have been fixed until he's gone.

Couldn't agree more!

[AlvinWaltonIsMyBoy]

Man, our FO is getting it done. I had no idea that Goff was in play for us. Dude is a baller.

As for our kicking situation, I have gone years with having to turn my head away from the TV on big kicks. Kinda like watching my boy Phil Mickelson stand over a three foot putt in a major. Simply frightening stuff. I hope Gano can put it together and become our long term guy.

I miss Lohmiller more every year. I loved that guy. Not because he was just a good kicker, but he was actually a football player. He would hustle down on kick offs and make tackles. Followed by congratulatory head butts from his teammates. That was awesome stuff.

[THE HAMMER'IN HOG]

Really like the Goff signing he's a ball-er, as for Rackers? I still would continue with Gano we have stuck it out with him through the tough times would like to be there when he finally breaks out, but maybe this signing will help him to grow a pair of B****! If not then Rackers will bring a little more consistency to the position, but this is Gano's swan song with us regardless, if he doesn't step up goodby.

[sportjunkie07]

Man, our FO is getting it done. I had no idea that Goff was in play for us. Dude is a baller.

As for our kicking situation, I have gone years with having to turn my head away from the TV on big kicks. Kinda like watching my boy Phil Mickelson stand over a three foot putt in a major. Simply frightening stuff. I hope Gano can put it together and become our long term guy.

I miss Lohmiller more every year. I loved that guy. Not because he was just a good kicker, but he was actually a football player. He would hustle down on kick offs and make tackles. Followed by congratulatory head butts from his teammates. That was awesome stuff.

i think some skins fans sell gano short. i think he has already proved that he is an nfl kicker and is the future. but just like everyone, he'll have to continually earn his roster position.

let's keep in mind that he did in fact fracture 2 back bones while attempting to make a tackle on the league worst 5th blocked field goal this year. and not only that, but he set the franchise record for longest kick this year and his career field goal % is already higher than lohmiller's, despite lohmiller having 1 block his entire career. now this isnt to bash lohmiller in any way, as statistics arent really comparable over generations, but i just feel that people remember the good times that surrounded lohmiller and forget the missed kicks, because our offense wasnt useless at that time.