Packers sign Aussie punter Chris Bryan

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

3 years, interesting. At least we don't have to draft a punter now.

[paulpressey25]

Who was the Aussie punter the Chargers had about 15-years ago. Was really good if I recall.

[El Duderino]

I was about to make a post about this Seems crazy to sign him to a 3 year deal, I figured they would bring 2 or 3 guys into camp to compete.

This is the NFL. Unless we gave this guy a bunch of guaranteed money which i'm positive we didn't, a three year contract is really no different than a one year contract except that if he sticks with the team and does well, we have him locked up.

If he sucks in camp, he'll be waived ASAP regardless of his three year contract.

[chuckleslove]

I was about to make a post about this Seems crazy to sign him to a 3 year deal, I figured they would bring 2 or 3 guys into camp to compete.

This is the NFL. Unless we gave this guy a bunch of guaranteed money which i'm positive we didn't, a three year contract is really no different than a one year contract except that if he sticks with the team and does well, we have him locked up.

If he sucks in camp, he'll be waived ASAP regardless of his three year contract.

I realize that, just seemed strange. I wasn't expecting them to really sign anyone, I was expecting to invite guys to camp and have them compete it out. Of course they could still do that.

[Captain Erv]

Who was the Aussie punter the Chargers had about 15-years ago. Was really good if I recall.

Darren Bennett (2-time Pro Bowler).

[stellation]

Just so I can post on the Brewers board too and get my complimentary cheese sammich made, I'll copy my post from the Bucks board here (although I assume that most of you farmers are just the same on both boards)?

Can he kick a ball 50 yards with decent hang time if he has about 3 seconds before he gets sat on by freakishly large men?

Absolutely no doubt whatsoever that he can kick 50 , I'd say the guy would come close to being able to kick 70 metres (definitely could if he got one sweetly), and at the very least would be able to consistently kick 60 metres. From memory there's about 3.3 feet to a metre. Consistently dropping in in the same spot when kicking that sort of distance would be a problem for anyone, but it gives you some idea that kicking 50 yards is pretty far from stretching himself to get his max distance so I don't think he'll have a problem. I get that there's an art to hang time, but I don't see that being a problem.

As far as getting hit, the guy was a ruckman so he took a constant battering on the field, and he was also a little bit of a thug that would dish out a big hit every now and then himself so he isn't afraid of the tough stuff. AFL has big guys that hit pretty hard and don't wear pads, I won't get into a battle of the relative toughness of AFL vs. NFL but suffice to say he isn't going to be an overly timid little punter that is cowering for fear of being hit.

Getting a kick off within 3 seconds? I doubt there'll be a problem, in AFL there is no line of scrimmage/offside and there are 18 guys per side on the field; granted it's a pretty big field so you can find yourself in open space, but as a ruckman Bryan was always around "stoppages" for ruck contests and would be used to having to get a quick kick away (aside from that, AFL is a fast moving sport so even if you find yourself in open space at some point you'd rarely be open for 3 seconds). I think the lack of a line of scrimmage would help a lot in the transition to AFL, he will have good natural awareness and should be able to focus on just kicking the ball.

Whilst his AFL career didn't turn out that well in the end (although he had more than just a cup of tea at the highest level) he's relatively young to be making the switch. I understand he had a few offers to train with other AFL clubs with the hope of catching on/picking up a contract and trying with a third team but going to the NFL is something he's always planned on doing. I honestly think that he can kick the ball further than Sav Rocca and possibly Ben Graham (you guys wouldn't have seen it in the NFL, but Ben Graham used to be able to kick the ball 70+ metres), and is a fair bit younger than both of them (with less niggly injuries). When I saw he was going to head over to the NFL I thought he'd be a very smart pickup for someone to grab- is 3 years a standard contract length for a punter new to the game?

That's actually a fairly unbiased appraisal (aside from being an Australian myself), he hasn't ever played for a team that I support and his 2 teams at AFL level were with my two least favourite teams; I just think the guy is perfectly suited to a job where the primary requirement is to kick the ball a football. As a remotely interesting little twist for you- the kid from Wisconsin that is now on an AFL list, Shae McNamara, is with Collingwood and projects to be a ruckman- arguably replacing Bryan (he was a ruckman with Collingwood last year), so there's a chance Bryan's coming over to get his own back on Wisconsin.

[chuckleslove]

Nice note about McNamara, I saw something about him on one of the local sites recently going to play in the AFL. Kind of strange if it almost works out like a "trade"

[-Jragon-]

Sounds like a great pickup. Easy transition for the Bogut fans to start posting here and make it more fun

[Mags FTW]

This just in: Kapinos is pissed!

[chuckleslove]

After hearing from the Aussie's here and on the Bucks board it sounds like he has a strong and accurate leg. I will hope for the best and hope that optimists win this one.

[Aaron It Out]

I wonder if he can play linebacker too.

[-Jragon-]

I realize that, just seemed strange. I wasn't expecting them to really sign anyone, I was expecting to invite guys to camp and have them compete it out. Of course they will still do that.

Fixed

[Wiscfan92]

Kapinos is screaming somewhere at this..

[LarryHarris]

Huh...