The NFL moved extra points back by 13 yards back in 2015, and I really like the change. Previously, PATs were almost meaningless; only a few would be missed all year. Now the success rate tends to hover around 94 percent, with key misses showing up from time to time.
And teams attempt enough extra points that over time, the best kickers tend to bubble to the top. In the last four years, for example, Justin Tucker has hit a league-best 99 percent of his extra points. Matt Bryant is old but accurate; he’s converted 98 percent and is available right now for whatever team wants to sign him.
Three active kickers haven’t been able to convert better than 90 percent of their PATs. Jason Myers, Caleb Sturgis and Mike Nugent. Cut by Jacksonville, Myers had a great season on field goals for the Jets last year but missed 3 extra points.
For all kickers with at least 60 attempts, the numbers for the longer PATs appear below. One name stands out: Connor Barth. On these longer extra points, only four kickers have been more accurate.
Released by the Bears during the 2017 season, Barth is hoping to get back into the league. He’s 32, which is old for most positions but ideal for a kicker – a guy who’s still in his prime but has some experience. He says he’s lost 27 pounds, has been working out hard at the gym and will attempt to impress NFL teams at a kicking camp next month.
I would guess that Barth will sign somewhere, and not just as a camp leg – could be one of the league’s 32 kickers next year.
| EXTRA POINTS SINCE 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | XP | XPA | Pct |
| Justin Tucker | 131 | 132 | 99.2% |
| Brandon McManus | 129 | 131 | 98.5% |
| Matt Bryant | 150 | 153 | 98.0% |
| Dan Bailey | 127 | 130 | 97.7% |
| Connor Barth | 73 | 75 | 97.3% |
| Stephen Gostkowski | 192 | 198 | 97.0% |
| Wil Lutz | 148 | 153 | 96.7% |
| Greg Zuerlein | 128 | 133 | 96.2% |
| Harrison Butker | 93 | 97 | 95.9% |
| Matt Prater | 137 | 143 | 95.8% |
| Mason Crosby | 147 | 154 | 95.5% |
| Sebastian Janikowski | 123 | 129 | 95.3% |
| Dustin Hopkins | 118 | 124 | 95.2% |
| Cairo Santos | 111 | 117 | 94.9% |
| Andrew Franks | 74 | 78 | 94.9% |
| Phil Dawson | 91 | 96 | 94.8% |
| Chris Boswell | 142 | 150 | 94.7% |
| Adam Vinatieri | 142 | 150 | 94.7% |
| Jake Elliott | 72 | 77 | 93.5% |
| Ka'imi Fairbairn | 71 | 76 | 93.4% |
| Ryan Succop | 127 | 136 | 93.4% |
| Cody Parkey | 95 | 102 | 93.1% |
| Robbie Gould | 103 | 111 | 92.8% |
| Randy Bullock | 101 | 109 | 92.7% |
| Graham Gano | 151 | 163 | 92.6% |
| Nick Novak | 68 | 74 | 91.9% |
| Stephen Hauschka | 123 | 134 | 91.8% |
| Chandler Catanzaro | 155 | 169 | 91.7% |
| Josh Lambo | 111 | 122 | 91.0% |
| Blair Walsh | 85 | 94 | 90.4% |
| Kai Forbath | 82 | 91 | 90.1% |
| Mike Nugent | 90 | 100 | 90.0% |
| Caleb Sturgis | 75 | 85 | 88.2% |
| Jason Myers | 106 | 121 | 87.6% |
| Dan Carpenter | 74 | 85 | 87.1% |
—Ian Allan