It was a weird season for kickers, with lots of injuries and roster changes – far more than we typically see. It was particularly unusual coming off the previous year, which featured unprecedented stability at the position.
In 2016, only three teams used more than one kicker, and all three used the same second kicker (Randy Bullock). So only 33 kickers played in that season – plenty of capable kicking prospects were never able to get on a 53-man roster.
But last year the kicker carousel was spinning for most of the season, with 10 teams using multiple kickers. The Chargers led the way, with five different players scoring points on field goals or PATs (that includes punter Drew Kaser, who attempted three extra points in the Thanksgiving Day game at Dallas after Nick Novak got hurt). During the season, 44 different players scored points on field goals or PATs, which is the most in recent memory.
Since the move to 32 teams, we’ve typically seen about 38 kickers per season. Only once before have 10 teams gotten points from multiple kickers.
| WHOLE LOT OF KICKERS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | PKs | Teams |
| 2000 | 41 | 10 |
| 2001 | 38 | 7 |
| 2002 | 42 | 7 |
| 2003 | 41 | 7 |
| 2004 | 41 | 5 |
| 2005 | 42 | 9 |
| 2006 | 37 | 3 |
| 2007 | 37 | 5 |
| 2008 | 39 | 5 |
| 2009 | 40 | 10 |
| 2010 | 41 | 9 |
| 2011 | 37 | 5 |
| 2012 | 37 | 6 |
| 2013 | 35 | 3 |
| 2014 | 37 | 4 |
| 2015 | 39 | 9 |
| 2016 | 33 | 3 |
| 2017 | 44 | 10 |
I think this is more of a statistically aberration than a new trend. There are lots of capable kickers out there – guys who can be counted on – and I expect we’ll settle back into the usual routine in the upcoming season, with probably all but a half dozen teams sticking with just one kicker for the season.
—Ian Allan