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Randy Bullock

Broncos To Conduct Training Camp K Competition

June 26th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos will have a kicker not named Brandon McManus in place at the start of the 2023 season, but it remains to be seen who his successor will be. Only one kicker is on Denver’s roster at the moment, but that is likely to change in the near future.

Elliot Fry took part in spring practices for Denver after signing with the team last month. His lone competition at that point was veteran Randy Bullock, who was brought in on a tryout basis without joining the team’s 90-man roster. The former will be a participant in the Broncos’ kicking competition during training camp, but it remains to be seen who will be challenging him.

Mike Klis of 9News notes that at least one addition at the position will be coming in time for next month, which could include Bullock or another experienced option on the lookout for a new opportunity. The likes of Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby, Ryan Succop and Brett Maher remain unsigned, and it will be interesting to monitor their markets as teams look for upgrades or participants in their own competitions. Klis adds that roster cuts could be another source of Denver’s eventual Week 1 kicker.

Fry, 28, has made just three regular season appearances during his career (the most recent of which came in 2021), so his spot is certainly far from assured heading into training camp. Bullock, by contrast, has 138 games of experience but was let go by the Titans as part of a widespread cost-cutting effort on the team’s part. Either of those two, or another addition to be made later, will face the challenge of effectively replacing McManus after his nine-year run in the Mile High City which included generally consistent performances along with a dip in accuracy last season.

“Making that transaction was a tough call,” special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica said on the decision to release McManus. “I think there was a lot of thought going into that… He’s done a lot of great things, but that’s part of the business. Transactions occur, and there will be more transactions. We wish him nothing but the best.

“Going to Jacksonville, I think that’s a great spot for him,” Kotwica added. “We’re excited about the guys we have in Elliott and Randy. We’ll see how this takes fold as we move forward to the season.”

Broncos Work Out K Randy Bullock, RB Benny Snell

June 13th, 2023 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the Broncos signed Elliott Fry, Sean Payton said the team would continue to search for kicker aid. The team is holding an early competition, bringing in Randy Bullock for a minicamp workout.

Former Steelers running back Benny Snell is also at the Broncos’ minicamp, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Ditto running back Ryan Nall. Bullock spent the past two seasons as the Titans’ kicker, but the team released him during a February purge.

Bullock, 33, has Fry lapped many times over for NFL experience. While Fry has kicked in just three regular-season games — for three teams — Bullock is a 10-year veteran. Prior to his two-year Tennessee stay, Bullock spent the previous four seasons in Cincinnati. He struggled to find a steady gig in his early seasons, but the former Texans fifth-round pick has played 138 career games.

Last season, Bullock made 17 of 20 field goal attempts and went 28-for-28 on extra points. Since posting a 90% field goal accuracy rate with the 2017 Bengals, Bullock has hovered between 80% and 88%. He has not been asked to try many 50-plus-yard field goals and has made more than two in a season just once (three, in 2020) in that span.

Denver parted ways with longtime kicker Brandon McManus and used the funds created from the post-June 1 cut to bring in Frank Clark. The team likely is not settled on Fry, who looks to be facing a minicamp challenge for the job. Fry signed a one-year, $750K deal that did not include any guarantees.

Snell played out his rookie contract with the Steelers, finishing his Pittsburgh run as a Najee Harris backup. While James Conner health issues allowed for five Snell starts from 2019-20, he fell behind UDFA Jaylen Warren in Pittsburgh’s pecking order last season. Snell has proven durable, not missing a game since his rookie season, though he did not make a big impression during his rookie deal. Although the former fourth-round pick did not clear four yards per carry over his first three seasons, he managed 4.5 per tote last year. Though, that came on just 20 handoffs.

The Broncos have Javonte Williams making strides in his recovery from ACL and LCL tears; the former second-rounder participated in OTAs on a limited basis. The team also signed ex-Bengal Samaje Perine to a two-year deal this offseason. Those two profile as Denver’s top two backs, but the team appears in the market for a depth piece. Tyler Badie, ex-Saint Tony Jones Jr. and rookie UDFA Jaleel McLaughlin represent the other backs vying for a job this summer.

Titans Release K Randy Bullock

February 22nd, 2023 at 12:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tennessee’s early start to clearing cap space now includes Randy Bullock as well. In addition to cutting Taylor Lewan and Robert Woods, the Titans are releasing their kicker.

The Titans had re-signed Bullock on a two-year, $4.68MM deal in April 2022. The team will create just more than $2MM by moving that contract off its payroll. Between its three Wednesday cuts, Tennessee will create $28.9MM in cap space. While more work will be ahead for new GM Ran Carthon, the Titans are now just more than $4MM under the cap.

Bullock, 33, had been the Titans’ kicker for the past two seasons. Making 85% of his field goal tries last season and 84% in 2021, Bullock stabilized Tennessee’s wayward kicker situation. In 2019 and 2020, the Titans used a host of kickers. Their 2019 season made the kicker spot a crisis point, and Stephen Gostkowski wrapped his career after the ’20 campaign. Bullock came in and contributed, but he will look to do so elsewhere in 2023.

A former Texans draftee back in 2012, Bullock has now kicked for six NFL teams. The Titans initially signed him after a four-plus season Cincinnati stay. The Texas A&M product missed five of his field goal tries from 40-49 yards in 2021 and only attempted three 50-plus-yarders during his two-year Tennessee stay, making two (both from 51 yards out). Bullock did not miss an extra point last season.

The Titans may have an in-house replacement lined up. They gave Caleb Shudak a reserve/futures contract last month. Shudak kicked in only one game last season, as a Bullock injury replacement, and missed most of the slate due to injury himself. But the young specialist may have an opportunity to win the job in 2023. Shudak, 25, should be expected to face competition for the gig.

Contract Details: Brown, Mack, Woods

April 16th, 2022 at 12:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are some details on deals recently signed around the NFL:

  • Trent Brown, OL (Patriots): two-year, $11.5MM deal. Brown’s deal includes a $750K weight bonus in 2022 and 2023, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. He’ll earn $150K if he shows up to the first day of offseason program at 385 pounds or less, another $75K if he’s at or under 375 pounds by June 1, another $75K if he’s at or under 365 pounds by July 15, and $25K weekly bonuses if he’s at 365 pounds or less each Thursday during the season.
  • Marlon Mack, RB (Texans): signed. It’s a one-year, $2MM deal, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). The deal includes a $250K signing bonus, a $1.25MM base salary, and $29K in per-game roster bonuses.
  • Auden Tate, WR (Falcons): one-year deal. The deal includes a $1.03MM base salary and only counts $930K against the cap, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein (on Twitter). Tate can also earn $5K per-game roster bonuses.
  • Xavier Woods, S (Panthers): three-year, $15.75MM deal. Deal includes more than $6MM in guaranteed money, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). The deal includes a $5MM signing bonus. Woods can earn $250K for each Pro Bowl he makes. The safety will be owed a $1MM roster bonus on the third day of the 2023 league year.
  • Solomon Thomas, DL (Jets): one-year deal. The deal is worth $2.25MM, including $1.9MM in guaranteed money, tweets ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). Thomas can earn another $2.5MM in incentives.
  • Will Hernandez, OL (Cardinals): one-year deal. The deal is worth $1.18MM, with $1.04MM in guaranteed money, according to veteran reporter Howard Balzer. The deal includes a $152K signing bonus. As a veteran qualifying contract, the deal counts $1.04MM against the cap.
  • Jesse Davis, OL (Vikings): one-year, $3MM deal. The deal includes a $1.5MM signing bonus, a $1.25MM fully guaranteed base salary, a $50K workout bonus, and up to $200K in per-game roster bonuses, tweets Ben Goessling of the Star-Tribune.. There’s also a void year in 2023.
  • Randy Bullock, K (Titans): signed. It’s a two-year deal worth $4.68MM, plus additional money for incentives, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Titans Re-Sign K Randy Bullock

March 19th, 2022 at 9:12am CST by Ben Levine

The Titans re-signed a pair of players last night, and we’ve learned of another player who will be sticking around Tennessee. Kicker Randy Bullock announced on Twitter that he’ll be re-signing with the Titans. Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com passed along the news (on Twitter).

[RELATED: Titans Re-Sign CB Skrine, RB Wilkins]

Bullock joined the Titans practice squad last September, and he ended up getting the big-league call when Tennessee moved on from Michael Badgley. Bullock saw time in the next 16 games for the Titans, connecting on 26 of his 31 field goal tries and 42 of his 45 extra point attempts. The 32-year-old also added a field goal and extra point in the playoffs.

The kicker has spent time with seven different teams during his 10 years in the NFL. He had a four-year stint with the Bengals between 2017 and 2020, but his final year in Cincy also saw him convert a career-low 83.9 percent of his field goal attempts. Bullock has also spent time with the Texans, Jets, Giants, and Steelers. He caught on with the Lions last offseason but was released before final cuts.

Last night, the Titans agreed to re-sign cornerback Buster Skrine and running back Jordan Wilkins.

Titans Promote K Randy Bullock

September 14th, 2021 at 10:28pm CST by Ben Levine

After bailing on kicker Michael Badgley yesterday, the Titans are turning to their expected contingency plan. The team has promoted kicker Randy Bullock from the practice squad.

Badgley got the first shot to replace Sam Ficken, but he struggled during Tennessee’s loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. The 26-year-old finished the game missing his lone field goal attempt and converting only one of his two extra point tries. As a result, the team decided to waive the former Chargers kicker.

So, in comes Bullock, who recently joined the organization’s practice squad. The veteran kicker spent the past four seasons with the Bengals, where he converted 84.9-percent of his field goal attempts and 95.4-percent of his extra point attempts. The 31-year-old has also had stops with the Texans, Jets, Giants, and Steelers. Bullock signed a one-year deal with the Lions this offseason, but he was cut by the team at the end of the preseason.

The team made another move on Tuesday, placing safety Amani Hooker on injured reserve. The defensive back suffered a foot injury during Sunday’s loss. The 23-year-old got into all 16 games for the Titans last season, collecting 51 tackles and four interceptions. He started Sunday’s game against Arizona, compiling five tackles and a surprise six-yard reception (on a fake punt).

Titans Promote K Michael Badgley, S Bradley McDougald; Sam Ficken Lands On IR

September 11th, 2021 at 3:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Like the Texans, the Titans will need their recently added practice squad kicker to contribute immediately. Tennessee placed Sam Ficken on IR on Saturday and promoted Michael Badgley.

The Titans signed Badgley to their practice squad Friday. The former Chargers specialist will suit up against the Cardinals in Week 1. Ficken will not be eligible to begin his season until Week 4. The Titans added their top kicker to their injury report Friday; a groin injury will sideline Ficken to start the year.

This move complicates the Titans’ kicker situation yet again. After a Ryan Succop injury led to a host of kickers suiting up for the Titans in 2019, leading to a historically bad 8-for-18 collective make rate, the Titans signed Stephen Gostkowski last year. The ex-Patriot made just 69% of his field goal tries. The Titans also added Randy Bullock, who worked out for the team Friday, to their practice squad. The Lions cut Bullock, a longtime Bengals kicker, last month.

Badgley kicked in 34 Chargers games over the past three years but could not beat out a younger competitor, Tristan Vizcaino, in training camp. The Texans promoted recent P-squad addition Joey Slye to their active roster Saturday as well, with Ka’imi Fairbairn also on IR with a groin ailment. Badgley auditioned for the Texans, but they went with Slye.

Additionally, the Titans promoted Bradley McDougald and MyCole Pruitt to their active roster. Tennessee signed McDougald earlier this summer but demoted the veteran safety to its P-squad earlier this week. Pruitt is back with the Titans after the 49ers released him on cutdown day.

Lions Down To 53

August 31st, 2021 at 3:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have their 53-man roster in place. On Tuesday, the Lions officially cut:

Released

Waived

Placed on Reserve/Suspended

The Lions will carry three quarterbacks for now in Jard Goff, Tim Boyle, and David Blough. Boyle is currently dealing with an injured thumb, which will keep him sidelined for two months. But, in order to hang on to him and dress him ASAP, they’ll have to carry him on their initial 53-man roster. Fortunately, Goff has proven largely durable during his five-year career. He did not miss a start due to injury until late last season, when a thumb surgery sidelined him.

Lions Expected To Sign K Randy Bullock

March 18th, 2021 at 6:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Matt Prater‘s defection to the Cardinals means the Lions will have a new kicker for the first time in seven years. It appears Randy Bullock will fill that role.

The Lions are finalizing a deal with Bullock, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Bullock spent the past four seasons as the Bengals’ kicker.

Bullock, 31, has bounced around the league a bit. But for the most part, he has kicked in Houston and Cincinnati. Bullock spent the first three years of his career with the Texans. However, Houston cut Bullock early in the 2015 season. After he bounced between the workout circuit and gigs with the Giants, Jets and Steelers, the Bengals stabilized his career late in the 2016 season.

The Bengals signed Bullock to an extension in 2018, and he played out that deal. Bullock made at least 80% of his field goals in each of his four Cincy seasons, though his make rate dropped to 81% last season. While Bullock may not have Prater’s range, he was more accurate last season and has held a steady role for several years now.

Prater kicked with the Lions from 2014-20, making one Pro Bowl. But he committed to rejoin one of his former special teams coordinators in Arizona on Wednesday night.

AFC North Notes: Bullock, Hunt, Browns

September 16th, 2020 at 6:31pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals claimed K Austin Seibert off waivers from the Browns, and when that happened, most assumed that incumbent Randy Bullock would be placed on IR, or perhaps even released. However, head coach Zac Taylor said he expects Bullock to stay right where he is. “Randy’s our kicker,” Taylor said. (Twitter link via Ben Baby of ESPN.com).

Cincinnati suffered a difficult Week 1 loss against the Chargers, and Bullock shanked a 31-yard field goal try that would have sent the game to overtime. He also appeared to injure his left calf on the kick — though some are skeptical — but Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that the injury isn’t serious (Twitter link). In fairness to Bullock, he did make a 50-yarder and a 43-yarder earlier in the game, and he converted his only PAT.

The Bengals take on Seibert’s former employer in a divisional battle tomorrow night.

Now for more from the AFC North:

  • The Browns recently handed running back Kareem Hunt a two-year extension, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has a few details. As previously reported, the new money can max out at $13.25MM, and Hunt will take home base salaries of $4MM, $1.3MM, and $1.35MM over the next three seasons. The remaining money will come via roster bonuses designed to make sure that Hunt keeps himself out of trouble. One is tied to his making it to training camp without incident, one is tied to his making it to Week 1 without incident, and one is tied to his making it to the end of the season without incident. He will also receive weekly 53-man roster bonuses.
  • In the same piece linked above, Cabot reports that the Browns were indeed the team that would have been involved in a Jadeveon Clowney sign-and-trade with the Saints. In the proposed deal, which the NFL nixed, Cleveland would have signed Clowney to a one-year, $15MM contract, including a $5MM signing bonus. The team would have then shipped Clowney to New Orleans in exchange for a second-round pick and a player.
  • Cabot further notes that the Browns should be getting CB Greedy Williams back soon. Williams missed the team’s Week 1 loss to the Ravens with a shoulder injury but is not expected to land on IR.
  • The Steelers placed right tackle Zach Banner on IR yesterday.
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