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Why the LA Chargers should draft a kicker in the 2021 NFL Draft

By Jason Reed

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 17: Mike Badgley #4 of the Los Angeles Chargers misses a field goal against the Las Vegas Raiders during fourth quarter in the game at Allegiant Stadium on December 17, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 17: Mike Badgley #4 of the Los Angeles Chargers misses a field goal against the Las Vegas Raiders during fourth quarter in the game at Allegiant Stadium on December 17, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) – LA Chargers
(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) – LA Chargers /

2. The free-agent kickers are not great for the LA Chargers

The kicker market is not a plentiful one in the NFL and that is the case this offseason. The LA Chargers theoretically could turn to free agency to bring in a kicker but the good options are going to be few and far between.

If you look at the free-agent kickers over on Spotrac it seems like there are some solid options. Younghoe Koo, Cairo Santos, Nick Folk and Ryan Succop are all free agents and all made over 90% of their field goals last season.

The chances of those kickers leaving their respective teams after a solid season are very slim. Let’s look at the kickers that changed teams via free agency last offseason.

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Greg Zuerlein went from the Rams to the Cowboys and made 82.9% of his field goals and 91.7% of his extra points, Stephen Gostkowski went from the Patriots to the Titans and made 69.2% of his field goals and 95.8% of his extra points, Ryan Succop went from the Titans to Bucs and made 90.3% of his field goals and 91.2% of his extra points and Graham Gano went from the Panthers to the Giants and made 96.9% of his field goals and 91.3% of his extra points.

Succop and Gano were the only ones with worthwhile numbers and both were lucky accidents. Succop attempted six field goals in 2019, Gano didn’t play.

So the Chargers can take a gamble and roll the dice and hope they hit a home run on one of these random kickers, but statistically speaking, it is not worth it to get in a free-agent bidding war to sign a kicker.

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