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Matt Bosher

Falcons Place Matt Bosher Back On IR

December 7th, 2019 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after the Falcons brought Matt Bosher off IR, the veteran punter will return to the team’s injured list. Bosher re-injured his groin and is back on IR.

The Falcons used one of their two IR-DTR slots on their ninth-year punter late last week but will not have the chance to redeploy him on fourth downs Sunday. Atlanta re-signed Ryan Allen, its punter in the past four games.

Bosher returned to Falcons practice on Nov. 20 but will have to wait until 2020 to return to game action. His Falcons contract — signed way back in 2014 — expires after this season. The 32-year-old specialist has been Atlanta’s punter since 2011.

One of the key Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, Allen has only punted since November of this season. The Patriots drafted Jake Bailey in Round 5 and released Allen this summer.

Chris Lindstrom represents the other Falcons IR-DTR player. The rookie lineman is still on track to return this week.

Falcons Designate Chris Lindstrom For Return

December 2nd, 2019 at 11:24am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have designated rookie guard Chris Lindstrom to return from injured reserve, per a club announcement. In related moves, they’ve also signed offensive tackle John Wetzel and formally activated punter Matt Bosher from injured reserve. 

Lindstrom, 22, was selected by the Falcons with the No. 14 pick in the 2019 draft. He started at right guard in the season opener against the Vikings, but, unfortunately, he suffered a foot injury that landed him on injured reserve.

With his return to practice, the NFL’s 21-day window for activation begins. If Lindstrom is not activated to the 53-man roster during that window, he will not be eligible to return this season.

Bosher, 32, landed on IR prior to Week 5 matchup with a groin injury. Then, in late November, they earmarked him for return. The veteran has averaged 45.7 yards per punt during his nine seasons with the Falcons and will resume his place in the lineup starting this week against the Panthers.

Falcons Activate Matt Bosher, Cut Ryan Allen

November 29th, 2019 at 4:54pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Falcons made a couple of roster moves on Black Friday. The team announced they’ve waived punter Ryan Allen and linebacker Jermaine Grace. They’re activating punter Matt Bosher off injured reserve, who had been designated as one of their return players.

Bosher was the punter to start the season, but went down with a groin injury after just a few games. Bosher has been Atlanta’s punter since 2011, so it’s not surprising that the former sixth-round pick had his job waiting for him when he got healthy. The Falcons have used four different punters this season, and hopefully the cycling through can stop now. Allen had been the Patriots’ punter for six seasons up until he was cut this past August in favor of rookie Jake Bailey.

Allen latched on with Atlanta just a few weeks ago, after Matt Wile and Kasey Redfern had previously filled in. Grace entered the league as an UDFA back in 2017, and has already spent time with four different teams. Grace had played only a handful of defensive snaps, but had been a key special teamer all year, playing almost 70 percent of special teams snaps. Grace missed the block on Taysom Hill‘s punt block during last night’s loss to the Saints, which apparently sealed his fate.

Extra Points: Sanu, Brown, Bears, Lock

November 20th, 2019 at 9:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots‘ revolving receiver cast may be set for more adjustments. Mohamed Sanu may well be battling a high ankle sprain, according to Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston. While that is not confirmed, the recent trade acquisition did not practice Wednesday and is listed on New England’s injury report. A high ankle sprain would stand to sideline Sanu for multiple games. The Pats have cycled through numerous receiver combinations this season, with Julian Edelman being the only constant. Phillip Dorsett is in the Pats’ concussion protocol, meaning Edelman’s supporting cast against the Cowboys may be fronted by rookies N’Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers.

Here is the latest from around the NFL, moving first to a player not currently in the league.

  • Antonio Brown launched a countersuit against Britney Taylor, the first of two women to make sexual misconduct claims against the free agent wide receiver. Taylor filed a civil suit against Brown earlier this year, alleging sexual assault, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports Brown’s case will center around defamation and interference with NFL contract and endorsement opportunities. Brown remains hopeful the NFL will clear him soon; he met with the league last week. But a recent report gave Brown a long-odds chance of playing again this season.
  • Mitchell Trubisky was a full participant at Bears practice Wednesday, despite being removed from Sunday night’s game with a hip injury. Matt Nagy said he does not intend to bench his starter and plans to play him this week against the Giants. “We want him to be out there this week as the starter,” Nagy said, via J.J. Stankevitz of NBC Sports Chicago. “I’m hoping that’s the case. … These types of injuries, you get to a point where they are literally day to day and it becomes about where you’re at with the pain and how we manage that.”
  • Brandon Allen has helped spark the Broncos‘ offense, but the team would stand to benefit from Drew Lock debuting soon. Vic Fangio added an interesting stance Wednesday, indicating he does not think it’s “vitally important” the rookie passer plays this season, via Mike Klis of 9News. However, the Broncos do plan to activate Lock from IR either next week or in Week 14, per Klis. Denver selected Lock in Round 2 but saw its Joe Flacco investment fail, leading to more uncertainty at a long-troublesome position for the franchise. The Broncos could again be linked to top quarterbacks in the 2020 draft, just as they were in 2018 and ’19.
  • One of the Falcons‘ IR-return slots will go toward a punter. Longtime punter Matt Bosher returned to practice, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter). Atlanta’s ninth-year punter cannot return to action until Week 13.
  • After placing fullback Nick Bawden on IR, the Lions worked out several fullbacks. Tommy Bohanon, Derrick Coleman, Tre Madden, Aaron Ripkowski auditioned for the Lions, per Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).

Falcons Place P Matt Bosher On IR

October 5th, 2019 at 1:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons have used two punters this season and will need to keep trotting out their second choice for a while. They placed ninth-year punter Matt Bosher on IR on Saturday. Matt Wile is back on Atlanta’s active roster to replace him.

Bosher played in three of the Falcons’ first four games, missing Week 3 because of a groin injury. He appeared on the team’s injury report again this week with the groin malady and will now be out at least eight weeks. The 31-year-old former sixth-round pick has been the Falcons’ punter since 2011.

Minnesota waived Wile, its punter throughout the 2018 season, after its preseason slate. After a one-game stint with the Falcons in 2016, Wile punted for the team in Week 3. The Falcons released him from their practice squad earlier this week but will turn to the fifth-year UDFA out of Michigan for the time being.

Bosher profiles as a potential IR-return candidate, joining guard Chris Lindstrom in that regard. Teams can only bring two players back from IR during a season.

Falcons To Promote P Matt Wile

September 20th, 2019 at 5:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons will have a new punter in Week 3. Shortly after signing Matt Wile to their practice squad, the Falcons will elevate him to their active roster.

With Matt Bosher declared out with a groin injury, Atlanta’s roster will carry two punters for the time being. Wile is set to handle the team’s punting and kickoff duties in Indianapolis and may be in line to stay in those roles for as long as Bosher is sidelined.

This will mark Wile’s second game as a Falcon, however. His first NFL game was a November 2016 assignment with the Falcons, when he also replaced Bosher. The latter has been Atlanta’s full-time punter since the 2011 season.

The Vikings waived Wile days before the regular season, opting to sign veteran Britton Colquitt. Wile was Minnesota’s punter for 16 games last season; he finished 14th in 2018 yards per punt (45.2).

NFC Notes: Saints, Lions, Falcons

August 19th, 2016 at 8:39pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

With the Friday release of Keenan Lewis, the Saints have now severed ties with all but one cornerback who made their roster two years ago, observes Joel Erickson of the New Orleans Advocate. That corner is Brian Dixon, who has begun his career with 32 straight appearances since the Saints signed him as an undrafted free agent from Northwest Missouri State. Of New Orleans’ current group of corners, P.J. Williams stands to benefit the most from Lewis’ exit, writes Erickson, who adds that the 2015 third-round pick has impressed this summer. Williams missed his rookie season with a torn hamstring, but the Florida State product is now set to start opposite Delvin Breaux.

Elsewhere in the NFC…

  • While the Lions value backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky’s veteran leadership, that might not be enough for the 11th-year man to fend off Jake Rudock for the backup role or – depending on how many signal-callers the team keeps – a roster spot, writes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. Rudock, a sixth-round rookie out of Michigan, has outplayed the 33-year-old Orlovsky through the Lions’ first two preseason matchups. In Detroit’s game Thursday against Cincinnati, Orlovsky tossed his second pick-six of the exhibition season. Overall, in addition to the two interceptions, he has thrown a touchdown while completing 24 of 39 passes for 247 yards. Rudock has hit on 16 of 22 attempts for 162 yards, adding both a score and a pick.
  • Falcons punter Matt Bosher suffered a chest injury in the team’s game against the Browns on Thursday, so Atlanta will work out free agent Brandon Fields, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Fields might only be a temporary solution if he signs, however, as McClure notes that Bosher is likely to be fine. A Dolphin from 2007-14, Fields played two games last season with the Saints and averaged 41.2 yards (35.1 net) on 10 punts.
  • In case you missed it, the NFL released a statement Friday explaining why it only suspended Giants kicker Josh Brown for one game after past domestic violence allegations surfaced.

Falcons Extend Matt Bosher, Josh Harris

September 17th, 2014 at 8:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons have locked up a pair of key pieces on their special teams unit to long-term contracts, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who reports that the team has inked punter Matt Bosher to an extension through the 2019 season and long snapper Josh Harris to a contract through 2018.

Bosher, who turns 27 next month, has been the Falcons’ full-time punter since being selected by the team in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced grades (subscription required), he has steadily improved in each of his first three NFL seasons, ranking 25th in his rookie season, 16th in 2012, and fifth last year. Yates reports that Bosher’s new deal, which keeps him under team control for the next five seasons after this one, includes a $2.5MM signing bonus and $5.95MM in total guaranteed money.

As for Harris, this is his third season as Atlanta’s regular long snapper. Terms of his new deal aren’t known, but I’d imagine he’ll be earning something close to the minimum salary, perhaps with a modest signing bonus on his four-year contract extension.