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[b] Bengals sign Larson

March 20, 2007

Posted: 4:20 p.m.


Larson
The Bengals have signed punter Kyle Larson, one of the team’s restricted free agents, to a one-year, $1.2 million contract. Larson becomes the first $1 million punter in Bengals history.

Larson is a fourth-year NFL player in 2007. He broke into the NFL’s top 10 last season in two major categories, ranking fifth in net punting average (38.6) and eighth in gross punting average (44.5). His net average was the best by a Bengal since 1995, and his gross average was the team’s best since 1998.

Larson has handled every Bengals punt for the last three seasons, since signing with Cincinnati as a college free agent in 2004. He also has been the team’s holder on placekicks his entire career, aiding club-record streaks by kicker Shayne Graham of 17 straight FGs and 158 straight PATs.

Larson is the fourth veteran free agent to sign with the Bengals since the league year began on March 2. Previous signees included two of the club’s unrestricted free agents -- tight end Reggie Kelly and running back Kenny Watson -- and free agent center Alex Stepanovich (last with Arizona).



[/b]
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[quote name='New Jersey Bengal' post='459374' date='Mar 20 2007, 03:39 PM'][b] Bengals sign Larson

March 20, 2007

Posted: 4:20 p.m.
Larson
The Bengals have signed punter Kyle Larson, one of the team’s restricted free agents, to a one-year, $1.2 million contract. Larson becomes the first $1 million punter in Bengals history.

Larson is a fourth-year NFL player in 2007. He broke into the NFL’s top 10 last season in two major categories, ranking fifth in net punting average (38.6) and eighth in gross punting average (44.5). His net average was the best by a Bengal since 1995, and his gross average was the team’s best since 1998.

Larson has handled every Bengals punt for the last three seasons, since signing with Cincinnati as a college free agent in 2004. He also has been the team’s holder on placekicks his entire career, aiding club-record streaks by kicker Shayne Graham of 17 straight FGs and 158 straight PATs.

Larson is the fourth veteran free agent to sign with the Bengals since the league year began on March 2. Previous signees included two of the club’s unrestricted free agents -- tight end Reggie Kelly and running back Kenny Watson -- and free agent center Alex Stepanovich (last with Arizona).

[/b][/quote]
I'm wondering if we'll be able to keep him after 2007.

He's been one of our few bright spots off late. Shame he only really started clicking last year.
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I don't get the 1 year deal at $1.2MM, given the Bengals tendered him a contract as a RFA for $1.3MM.

On Curnutte's blog he"believes" Larson signed the one year tender at $1.3MM, which makes more sense.

I think it was last year with Jeremi Johnson where he signed the 1 year tender, then within a week he turned around and signed the long term deal. Hopefully this will be the case here.
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Does this mean he isnt allowed to punt from the oppositions 40 into the end zone, thus putting the opposition at their 20

He has been better, and 20 net yards is fun and all, but hopefully $1,300,000 buys you a little more touch a little more often.
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Guest Tigris
[quote name='big_dish' post='459393' date='Mar 20 2007, 05:06 PM']Does this mean he isnt allowed to punt from the oppositions 40 into the end zone, thus putting the opposition at their 20

He has been better, and 20 net yards is fun and all, but hopefully $1,300,000 buys you a little more touch a little more often.[/quote]
i thought he did a hell of a job... and can remember more than once where we pinned them inside the 5 last year. i believe kilmer downed one as did holt
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[quote name='Rumble in the Jungle' post='459385' date='Mar 20 2007, 04:51 PM']i wonder why he didn't get a long term deal ? i like him a lot and hope he stays in the nati.[/quote]


[quote name='Phatcat' post='459391' date='Mar 20 2007, 05:02 PM']I don't get the 1 year deal at $1.2MM, given the Bengals tendered him a contract as a RFA for $1.3MM.

On Curnutte's blog he"believes" Larson signed the one year tender at $1.3MM, which makes more sense.

I think it was last year with Jeremi Johnson where he signed the 1 year tender, then within a week he turned around and signed the long term deal. Hopefully this will be the case here.[/quote]


Strange signing indeed. Hope he signs long term.

I agree, Phatcat. Why would you sign a $1,200,000 contract when there is already a contract offer at $1,300,000?!?!?
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[quote name='Phatcat' post='459391' date='Mar 20 2007, 05:02 PM']I don't get the 1 year deal at $1.2MM, given the Bengals tendered him a contract as a RFA for $1.3MM.

On Curnutte's blog he"believes" Larson signed the one year tender at $1.3MM, which makes more sense.

I think it was last year with Jeremi Johnson where he signed the 1 year tender, then within a week he turned around and signed the long term deal. Hopefully this will be the case here.[/quote]

Equally as perplexed. I would bet it was the tender, otherwise there is no sense for either side in the deal.

I like this guy. Good solid steady punter. Not Lee Johnson steady..but very few are.
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he signed the tender, thats all, no need to freak out guys, i am willing to bet he gets locked up long term before training camp, either that or the bengals cap issues are running a lot deeper than anyone is letting on the bengals front office. The club is really high on this kid, i think he'll spend most or all of his career here, the kids got a great leg and he's gonna get better.
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Guest Patmo
[quote name='EnglishBengal' post='459378' date='Mar 20 2007, 04:48 PM']I'm wondering if we'll be able to keep him after 2007.

He's been one of our few bright spots off late. Shame he only really started clicking last year.[/quote]


I'm surprised that they only gave him a one year deal.He got a good #.
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[quote name='Patmo' post='459484' date='Mar 20 2007, 08:33 PM']I'm surprised that they only gave him a one year deal.He got a good #.[/quote]

as mentioned i think he just signed the tender offered to him like we did with jeremi johnson last year or so, likely to be given a real deal for 3-5 years within a few weeks.
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Guest Patmo
[quote name='GoBengals' date='Mar 20 2007, 08:51 PM' post='459503']
as mentioned i think he just signed the tender offered to him like we did with jeremi johnson last year or so, likely to be given a real deal for 3-5 years within a few weeks.
[/quote

Works for me,Bro.He and Shayne are one of the top 5 kicking duo's in the NFL. Props to Darrin Simmons .I remember his first camp.He was scary.One good one,one bad one.Many of his kicks never turned over and he lost 5 yards .Great job by Darrin,a former punter.
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[quote name='big_dish' post='459393' date='Mar 20 2007, 04:06 PM']Does this mean he isnt allowed to punt from the oppositions 40 into the end zone, thus putting the opposition at their 20

He has been better, and 20 net yards is fun and all, but hopefully $1,300,000 buys you a little more touch a little more often.[/quote]

26 inside the 20, 8 inside the ten out of 77 punts. I don't think that is too bad. He also only had 11 touchbacks last year. I think he showed great improvement last year and we need to lock him up long term. I wasn't a big supporter of him going into last season, but he has improved every year.

[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7042"]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7042[/url]
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[quote name='ccartman2' post='459544' date='Mar 20 2007, 10:04 PM']26 inside the 20, 8 inside the ten out of 77 punts. I don't think that is too bad. He also only had 11 touchbacks last year. I think he showed great improvement last year and we need to lock him up long term. I wasn't a big supporter of him going into last season, but he has improved every year.

[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7042"]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7042[/url][/quote]
:thumbsup:

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[quote name='ccartman2' post='459544' date='Mar 20 2007, 09:04 PM']26 inside the 20, 8 inside the ten out of 77 punts. I don't think that is too bad. He also only had 11 touchbacks last year. I think he showed great improvement last year and we need to lock him up long term.[/quote]

Yes...It would be a crime to develop a really solid player like that, and then let him leave for greener pastures.

Here's hoping they can lock him up for a number of years, without unduly straining the cap.

BZ
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Guest happyrid

[quote name='bengalsfan850' post='459459' date='Mar 20 2007, 07:50 PM']can you imagine what would have happened if someone else signed him :o that would realy have put us into some shit if we lost him he's pretty good[/quote]

We'd have received a 2nd round pick in this year's draft if somebody else had signed him, so I think we would have managed.

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[quote][size=3][b]Restricted Larson signs[/b][/size]
BY MARK CURNUTTE | MCURNUTTE@ENQUIRER.COM


After sustaining personnel losses in unrestricted free agency, the Bengals re-signed Tuesday the first of what's expected to be a string of five restricted free agents.

Punter Kyle Larson signed a one-year contract, believed to be the one-year, $1.3 million tender he had received as a restricted free agent.

Restricted free agents have less mobility and are players with three seasons of NFL service - not the four required for unrestricted free agency. Original teams have the right to match an offer sheet a restricted free agent might sign with another club and can receive draft-pick compensation for losing one.

The $1.3 million tender the Bengals used on Larson and offensive lineman Stacy Andrews would have brought a second-round pick from another team.

Most of the restricted free agents figure in the Bengals' future.

Andrews is expected to compete with Andrew Whitworth to replace Eric Steinbach as starter at left guard. Andrews played well in starting three games at right guard after Bobbie Williams had an emergency appendectomy.

Linebackers Landon Johnson and Caleb Miller and cornerback Greg Brooks are the Bengals' other three restricted players. They all received what is known as a "draft-status" tender of $850,000 for one year. Johnson and Miller were third-round picks and Brooks a sixth-rounder.

The signing period for restricted players will end April 20. Original teams have until April 27 to exercise their right of first refusal.

Larson broke into the NFL's top 10 in two major punting categories, ranking fifth in net punting average (38.6) and eighth in gross punting average (44.5). His net average was the best by a Bengal since 1995 and his gross average the franchise's best since 1998.[/quote]



[url="http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070321/SPT02/703210319/1066/SPT"]Enquirer.com[/url]
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Guest oldschooler
[quote][size=5][b]Punter Larson gets $1.3M deal [/b][/size]

By Kevin Goheen
Post staff reporter

Kyle Larson became the first of the Bengals restricted free agents to return to the club this offseason when the punter signed a one-year contract Tuesday.

The Bengals tendered Larson and offensive lineman Stacy Andrews one-year deals worth $1.3 million as restricted free agents. That enabled the team to retain the right to match any offer the player might receive in free agency or receive a second-round draft choice as compensation. Andrews has yet to sign his tender offer. Linebackers Landon Johnson and Caleb Miller and cornerback Greg Brooks were tendered one-year deals worth $850,000. None of those players has signed yet.

Larson is a fourth-year player from Nebraska who came to the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He is coming off one of the best seasons ever by a Bengals punter.

He was fifth in the NFL in net punting average (38.6 yards) and eighth in the league in gross average (44.5 yards). It's been since Lee Johnson had the same net average in 1995 that a Cincinnati punter has done that well, while Larson's gross average is the best for the Bengals since Johnson's 44.7-yard average in 1998.

Larson has also been the holder for every placement kick the past three seasons, helping kicker Shayne Graham set team records with 17 consecutive field goals and 158 straight extra points made.

The key to Larson's improved punting last season was his consistency. He set a club record with a 75-yard punt at Jacksonville in 2005. His net average in 2005 was three yards per punt lower (35.6) than it was last season. Only 13 of his 60 punts in 2005 went inside the opponent's 20-yard line, with eight others going into the end zone for touchbacks.

[b]Larson put 26 punts inside the 20 last season, the second-highest total in a season by a Bengal and only one off of Johnson's club record, compared to just 11 touchbacks on 77 punts.[/b]

The Bengals have now signed four free agents this offseason. Besides Larson, the club has also retained tight end Reggie Kelly and running back Kenny Watson, while adding center Alex Stepanovich from Arizona.[/quote]



[url="http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070321/SPT03/703210318/1022"]http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../703210318/1022[/url]
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Guest oldschooler
[quote][size=5][b]Bengals' punter Larson returns on 1-year deal[/b][/size]
[size=3][b]His third NFL season was the best by a Cincinnati punter in the past decade.[/b][/size]

By Chick Ludwig

Staff Writer

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

CINCINNATI — Add punter to the list of positions the Bengals don't have to worry about this year.

Kyle Larson signed the club's one-year tender offer of $1.3 million on Tuesday. If he doesn't reach agreement on a long-term contract by March 2008, he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

[b]The former Nebraska player broke into the NFL's top 10 in two major categories in 2006 — his third NFL season — ranking fifth in net punting average (38.6 yards per kick) and eighth in gross average (44.5).

His net average was the best by a Bengal since 1995 (Lee Johnson's 38.6), and his gross was the club's best since 1998 (Johnson's 44.7).[/b]

Larson's 26 punts downed inside the opponents' 20-yard line were a personal best.

Larson becomes the fourth veteran free agent to sign with the Bengals this offseason, joining tight end Reggie Kelly, tailback Kenny Watson and center Alex Stepanovich. All were Bengals last season except Stepanovich, who played for Arizona.


Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com[/quote]
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[quote name='Rumble in the Jungle' post='459385' date='Mar 20 2007, 02:51 PM']i wonder why he didn't get a long term deal ? i like him a lot and hope he stays in the nati.[/quote]
You just want him to drop more coin at your restaurant.....
:ninja:

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