The draft is done, DeMarcus Lawrence is re-signed, and the bulk of free agency activity has passed. The 2019 Dallas Cowboys have more than enough talent to compete this season, but there is still one last move I’d wish they’d make. Veteran kicker Matt Bryant, still one of the NFL’s best even at almost 44 years old, could be the final piece to this offseason puzzle.
The Atlanta Falcons’ longtime kicker, and franchise scoring leader, was not retained this year despite another standout season. He made 20-of-21 field goals, with a long of 57, in 2018.
Why Atlanta didn’t keep Bryant hasn’t been confirmed, but perhaps the team was just looking to avoid hanging on one year to late. But Matt, who ranks eight all-time in FG accuracy (86.2%), doesn’t think he’s done. He tweeted the following from his personal account in February:
“Over this past year I’ve been asked numerous times about retirement and how I feel. Well, I’m not retiring and I feel fine and plan on feeling even better with some changes to my offseason program!
As of now Matt Bryant remains a free agent, and I think the Dallas Cowboys should be very interested.
If you go up and down this Dallas roster, kicker is arguably its biggest liability. Brett Maher had some highlight moments in 2018, and won two Player of the Week awards, but he also was one of the league’s worst kickers in overall FG accuracy.
The problem with Maher is that you can’t teach his best skill; the accuracy from the high 50s and even low 60s is incredible. It’s a true weapon that you have a hard time letting go of, which was evident last year when Dallas dumped Dan Bailey for Maher at final cuts.
But Matt Bryant might be the best of both worlds. He’s been a 91% FG kicker overall this last three years and has made 18-of-22 attempts from 50 yards out or more.
Maher only made 80.6% of his kicks in 2018. He went from 6/7 from long range, but that tells you how shaky he was from closer in.
Those closer kicks are worth the same three points that the longer ones are, and how’d you like it if Dallas lost a critical game because their kicker couldn’t make a 35-yarder?
I get the fear factor with an older guy like Matt Bryant. Heck, the Cowboys let Dan Bailey go when he was still just 30. But Bryant hasn’t shown the red flags that Bailey did; he’s still kicking as well as he ever has.
If nothing else, Dallas has the cap space and circumstances to bring in Bryant for a true competition with Maher. If Brett has improved his game and keeps his job, then that’s awesome. But why not add some pressure now, though a position battle with one of the all-time greats, and see what Maher’s really made of?
Seasons have been made, and shattered, by one kick. Unless the Cowboys have good reason for confidence in Brett Maher’s development from last year, they could be carrying a significant liability into a year where they’re trying to push for a Super Bowl.
If Matt Bryant could provide even a small amount of additional security, isn’t he worth it?
