Kai Forbath - Pro Football Rumors

Saints Re-Sign Travaris Cadet

March 10th, 2016 at 11:24am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints announced that they have re-signed running back Travaris Cadet. Cadet, a four-year NFL vet, originally signed with New Orleans as a UDFA out of Appalachian State in 2012.

For his career, Cadet has appeared in 48 games (2 starts) with 62 catches for 559 yards and three scores plus 22 carries for 65 yards. This past season, he spent time with the Patriots and Niners. Cadet, 27, saw his first significant action for the Saints in 2014, hauling in 38 passes on 51 targets, totaling 296 yards and a touchdown on those receptions. He didn’t see that kind of usage in 2015 but he’s certainly hoping to find that same level of involvement in ’16 as he returns to New Orleans.

Within the announcement, the Saints also confirmed new deals for kicker Kai Forbath, tight end Michael Hoomanawanui, center/guard Senio Kelemete, and cornerback Kyle Wilson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Saints To Re-Sign Kai Forbath

March 9th, 2016 at 4:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Midseason pickup Kai Forbath appears to have impressed his new team sufficiently. The Saints look to have re-signed the kicker from the second half of 2015, with Forbath posting on Instagram he’s going to be back with the team next season.

The length or salary structure of Forbath’s agreement with the Saints is not yet known.

The Saints signed Forbath last October after Washington released him a month earlier. Forbath went on to make 9-of-13 field goal attempts — including a 57-yarder — and 33-of-34 extra points.

Forbath, 28, served as Washington’s kicker for three seasons prior to his release. He worked out for the Steelers just before signing with the Saints, but Pittsburgh opted to go with Chris Boswell instead.

FA Rumors: Vinatieri, Gates, Hayes, Moses

March 1st, 2016 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Colts are working on a new contract for future Hall-of-Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that this was an “open secret” at the combine in Indianapolis. A report last month indicated that the team wanted to bring back Vinatieri, who expressed a desire to continue playing — perhaps for multiple years.

“Not only a season, but Lord willing, a couple of years,” Vinatieri said at the time. “There will come a time when it’s over for me. I don’t think that time is yet. I enjoy playing. I enjoy doing my thing.”

As we wait to see if the Colts and Vinatieri can hammer something out within the next few days, let’s round up several more notes and rumors on free-agents-to-be….

The meeting at the combine between Antonio Gates and the Chargers went well, reaffirming the mutual interest between the two sides for a new deal, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. According to Gehlken, it’s likely just a matter of time until the veteran tight end finalizes a new contract with the Chargers.
If another team signs Olivier Vernon to an offer sheet that the Dolphins decide not to match, expect the team to pursue a lower-priced defensive end like William Hayes, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Per Salguero, Hayes is a player Miami likes “very much.”
The Chiefs have expressed interest in bringing back free agent linebacker Dezman Moses, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Moses is one of several Kansas City defensive players eligible for free agency, though he’ll probably come cheaper than most, since he’s primarily a special teams contributor.
The Saints would like to re-sign UFA kicker Kai Forbath, a source tells Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate. If Forbath does sign a new deal with New Orleans, I imagine it would be a modest one that wouldn’t preclude the team from bringing in competition.
Rams safety Rodney McLeod is one free agent who will be “in demand” next week, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who tweets that plenty of NFL people like McLeod.

Saints To Cut Zach Hocker, Sign Kai Forbath

October 19th, 2015 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

10:57am: The Saints will be signing Forbath to replace Hocker, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link).

Forbath, 28, made 94.4% of his field goals (17 of 18) in his first season with Washington back in 2012, and while he never matched that accuracy mark in subsequent years, his career percentage remains a solid 87.0%.

Forbath was cut after Week 1 this season by Washington, but has worked out for several teams since then. He was said to be the second choice for both the Eagles, who signed Caleb Sturgis, and the Texans, who signed Nick Novak, so it seemed like it would just be a matter of time before he found a new home.

10:51am: The Saints are cutting ties with Zach Hocker, and will seemingly have a new kicker in place for their next game, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Because he’s a rookie, Hocker will have to clear waivers before he officially becomes a free agent.

Hocker, a seventh-round pick in the 2014 draft, earned his first starting job this year in New Orleans. However, he was a little shaky during his first six games as the team’s kicker. Hocker missed four of his 13 field goal tries, including three from less than 50 yards, and failed to convert one of his extra-point attempts as well. The 24-year-old’s two field goal misses during last Thursday’s win over the Falcons appear to have sealed his fate.

Earlier this month, New Orleans auditioned a handful of free agent kickers, though the team elected to stick with Hocker at that point. Randy Bullock, Kai Forbath, and Kyle Brindza all got looks from the Saints at that time, and all three remain free agents, so I’d expect them to be among the first players considered by the club now that Hocker is no longer in the mix.

NFC Notes: Saints, 49ers, Barth, Eagles

October 8th, 2015 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

The Saints won’t displace Zach Hocker right now, even after auditioning several kickers, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. Hocker missed a potential game-winning field goal on Sunday night against the Cowboys before New Orleans won in overtime, and missed a field goal and an extra point in the team’s Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay. However, he’ll get at least one more opportunity to hang onto the job going forward.

In yesterday’s workout for the Saints, Randy Bullock hit all of his field goal attempts, while Kai Forbath missed a 53-yarder but made up for it with a 55-yard make, per Garafolo. Kyle Brindza, recently released by the Bucs, also got a look from the Saints, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Head coach Jim Tomsula disputed the notion that the 49ers added inside linebacker Gerald Hodges because they’re unhappy with the way starter Michael Wilhoite has played. “There’s nothing there,” Tomsula said, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Tomsula went on to explain that the 49ers have liked Hodges since he came out in the 2013 draft. On Tuesday, San Francisco sent center Nick Easton and a sixth-round draft choice to the Vikings for Hodges.
Buccaneers kicker Connor Barth is happy to return to Tampa Bay, telling Fred Goodall of The Associated Press that the winding road he took back to the Bucs isn’t unusual for someone who plays his position. “You’ve got to look at as a business, and you’re kind of a consultant,” Barth said. “There are 32 jobs. It’s just a blessing to play and be one of 32 guys.” Barth was the club’s full-time kicker from 2009 to 2012.
According to Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, Drew Brees was a key point of reference when Philadelphia decided this offseason to acquire Sam Bradford, an oft-injured quarterback with significant potential. Brees had been considered an injury risk due to a shoulder issue when the Saints first acquired him. Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer has the details on Kelly’s Bradford/Brees comparison, along with the quotes from the head coach.
After signing a five-year deal worth nearly $39MM in the offseason, Bears pass rusher Pernell McPhee is off to a hot start, and joked that he wants J.J. Watt money now, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Roberts, Saints, Ebron, 49ers

October 7th, 2015 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

Responding to a suggestion from Peter King of TheMMQB.com that Washington wide receiver Andre Roberts could be a logical trade target for the Ravens, Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes that such a deal wouldn’t make much financial sense for Baltimore — or, presumably, any other team. Roberts is guaranteed a $2.75MM salary in 2015, the second season of a four-year contract, which is a significant amount of money for a player who has been banged up and unable to earn much playing time lately. That means Roberts is probably sticking in D.C. for now.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Kai Forbath‘s workout tour continues in New Orleans, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Forbath and Randy Bullock will be among the kickers auditioned by the Saints. Forbath has tried out for several teams in recent weeks, and was said to be the runner-up for clubs like the Texans and Eagles.
Lions tight end Eric Ebron tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson (all Twitter links) that it could take up to three weeks for him to recover from the knee injury he sustained on Monday night, but he’s relieved that it won’t require surgery.
Falcons head coach Dan Quinn hasn’t spoken to Roddy White yet about the receiver’s desire for more touches and a bigger role in the offense, but stressed that White is an important part of the team moving forward, says Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Coming off a 17-3 loss, the 49ers trading an offensive player for a defensive player – as the team did yesterday – might not make much sense on the surface, but Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle thinks it was a good move.

Barth Among Kickers Working Out For Bucs

October 5th, 2015 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Just over a month after they released him, the Buccaneers will be working out Connor Barth this week as they search for a new kicker, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Barth, who lost the starting job to Kyle Brindza prior to the season, will be one of a handful of veteran kickers trying out for Tampa Bay.

Along with Barth, Randy Bullock, Kai Forbath, and Billy Cundiff will also be auditioning for the Buccaneers, says Garafolo.

Bullock recent lost the job in Houston, missing a 43-yard field goal and a pair of extra points through the Texans’ first three games. Forbath nearly replaced Bullock in Houston, having been the team’s second choice, as he was in Philadelphia when he auditioned for the Eagles. Cundiff was also part of that tryout with the Eagles, but hasn’t seen regular season action since he was with the Browns last season.

The most interesting name of the bunch is Barth, however — Brindza beat him out for the Bucs’ kicking job this season, but the rookie missed seven kicks (five field goals and two extra points) in Tampa Bay’s last two games, forcing the team to make a change. The veteran Barth was the Bucs’ kicker from 2009 to 2012, and looked poised to regain the job this year before Brindza surpassed him in the preseason.

The Bucs figure to decide on a new kicker and get him locked up within the next couple days.

Kai Forbath To Work Out For Steelers

October 2nd, 2015 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

3:13pm: Kicker Chris Boswell will also participate in the Steelers’ kicker audition, according to James Palmer of the NFL Network (Twitter link)

2:18pm: After a pair of missed Josh Scobee field goals paved the way for the Ravens to knock off the Steelers in overtime last night, Pittsburgh is bringing in veteran kicker Kai Forbath for a workout, according to J.P. Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com.

Forbath, 28, made 94.4% of his field goals (17 of 18) in his first season with Washington back in 2012, and while he never matched that accuracy mark in subsequent years, his career percentage remains a solid 87.0%. Forbath was cut after Week 1 this season by Washington, with the team signing Dustin Hopkins to take his place.

Since his release, Forbath has worked out for multiple teams, and was said to be the second choice for both the Eagles, who signed Caleb Sturgis, and the Texans, who signed Nick Novak. Perhaps the third audition will be the charm for Forbath, though he’s unlikely to be the only kicker the Steelers consider.

It would be a little surprising if Pittsburgh decides to move on from Scobee, despite his early-season struggles. After Shaun Suisham went down with a season-ending injury, the Steelers sent a sixth-round pick to the Jaguars to acquire Scobee, and his $2.5MM salary for the 2015 season should be fully guaranteed at this point.

Scobee missed field goals of 41 and 49 yards in last night’s loss to the Ravens, his third and fourth missed field goals this year. The 33-year-old also missed an extra point in Week 2.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Manziel, Forbath, Jets

September 30th, 2015 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Having rounded up a few items from around the NFC earlier today, let’s shift our focus to the league’s other conference, and check in on several AFC notes:

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), citing multiple sources, reports that Raiders owner Mark Davis has been in contact with a Los Angeles-based investor and developer about potential relocation. According to Cole, Davis may have to sell part of the Raiders in order for the Carson proposal to have a good chance of moving forward.
The struggling Browns will inevitably turn to Johnny Manziel to gauge whether he is their future at the quarterback position, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes, and Grossi believes that time will come sooner for the Browns than coach Mike Pettine ever anticipated. Grossi believes that Johnny Football could get the start on October 18th against the Broncos, Cleveland’s next home game, if the offense sputters against the Chargers and Ravens
Nick Novak got the job in Houston, but Kai Forbath was a close second in the Texans‘ kicker evaluations, according to sources who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). That might not be much consolation to Forbath, who was also the runner-up for the Eagles’ kicking job this week.
Former Jets GM Mike Tannebaum made some big mistakes near the end of his time with the team, but 17 players on New York’s current active roster were Tannenbaum acquisitions, says Brian Costello of the New York Post. Costello makes the case that it’s time to recognize that Tannenbaum, who is currently in the Dolphins’ front office, did a “very good job” with the Jets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Eagles Sign Caleb Sturgis, Place Cody Parkey On IR

September 29th, 2015 at 7:51am CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 7:51am: The Eagles have made the pair of kicker moves official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Sturgis and placed Parkey on IR. Within the announcement, the club notes that Parkey’s groin injury was separate from the one he dealt with during the preseason.

MONDAY, 4:16pm: After bringing in several kickers for tryouts today, the Eagles have decided to place injured kicker Cody Parkey on injured reserve, and will sign free agent Caleb Sturgis, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Sturgis, 26, was the Dolphins’ kicker in 2013 and 2014, but was a little shaky for Miami, missing eight field goals in each of his first two seasons, and recording an overall conversion percentage of just 77.5%. Sturgis lost his job to Andrew Franks this year, but has found a new gig just several weeks later, taking over in Philadelphia for Parkey.

Parkey, who earned a Pro Bowl nod in his rookie season last year, re-aggravated a preseason groin injury during Sundayâs game, raising doubts about his availability going forward. It’s not clear yet whether he’ll miss the entire season — the Eagles will work out an injury settlement and release him from their IR list if and when he gets healthy in the coming weeks.

Nick Novak, Billy Cundiff, Shayne Graham, Kai Forbath, and Carey Spear joined Sturgis at today’s audition in Philadelphia, and the Eagles ultimately opted for the ex-Dolphin over Forbath, who was the other finalist, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).