After spending time with the Rams and Titans as a rookie, Sam Sloman will have another chance going into his second season. The Steelers plan to sign him, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
A seventh-round Rams draftee out of Miami University (Ohio) last year, Sloman became Greg Zuerlein‘s immediate successor after winning a training camp competition. The Rams used Sloman as their kicker in seven games to start the season, but his run came to an end after the team added Kai Forbath midway through the year.
Sloman missed three field goals and three extra points with the Rams and did not catch on elsewhere until landing on the Titans’ practice squad in late November. He kicked in one game with Tennessee late last season. Sloman kicked a game-winning 37-yard field goal in overtime to give the Titans an AFC South-clinching win in Week 17. Sloman did not kick in Tennessee’s playoff game.
The Steelers have used Chris Boswell as their kicker for the past six seasons. After a down 2018, the veteran has bounced back over the past two years. Boswell made at least 93% of his field goal tries in 2019 and 2020. His 95% make rate ranked fourth in the NFL last year.
Two years remain on Boswell’s four-year, $16.8MM contract. Sloman, 23, would represent a cheaper alternative, though it would be surprising to see the Steelers make a change given Boswell’s recent performance.
Seems like signing another kicker means Boz is gone, even with his contract and his improved numbers. I doubt they want 2 kickers on the roster.
No, you always need extra kickers for camp.
Boswell has been hurt last couple of years. I think their plan is to stash Sloman on PS and use him as insurance.
I firmly disagree. You don’t carry kickers on a practice squad. It’s an absolute waste of the 10-man roster space.
He was signed to push Boswell in camp. Nothing more. If he wins the job, then sobeit. But any time a kicker is injured, there’s always 2-3 days of tryouts the following week to find a suitable replacement.
The Steelers have far too many depth questions to stash a kicker on their PS.
Steelers kept a kicker on the practice squad last year.
Btw the limit increased to 12 and may still be 16 if they are carrying over Covid rules.
They are, it’s 16 again this year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a permanent change. The teams all seem to like it, and I haven’t heard of the players or the union knocking the idea.
Totally disagree with you about keeping a kicker on the PS. If you’ve got a promising kicker on his rookie deal who’s stumbled enough that you want to replace him, but you still like his long-term potential, stash him on the PS and let him work with the new kicker to try to get back into rhythm and/or get his head back on straight (the lack of dedicated placekicking and punting coaching in the league has been noted as a problem). The Vikings should have done that with Daniel Carlson during his rookie season.
You’ve heard of camp arms? This is a camp leg. Nothing more.