Jason Hanson

[MicrowaveReborn]

Well, Jason Hanson has always been "Mr. Dependable" for the Detroit Lions. As we all know, the Lions have many "more pressing" needs to address. Hanson's current contract expires when he is 43 years old (he is now 39). Yes, the Lions have made several dumb moves in the past (too many to count). In the next year or two the Lions will need to think about drafting a kicker in the lower rounds to address this kicking need. Arguably, Hanson is having the worst season of his long career. At 39, we should not expect him to improve. Yes, kicker is the least of the Lions worries, but the years of wasted 6th, 7th and 8th round picks have to be over...selecting a kicker might be on the Lions minds sooner than we may think. Don't be surprised if a kicker is selected this year or next, especially if a very talented kicker is available, via the draft. My strengths do NOT include knowledge of college kickers. Thoughts?

[Bartender]

I hope Detroit drafts Brett Swenson

[TSE]

I think it's sad that somebody would even come up with an idea like this. Which is the same response I have had the last 2 years that people have suggested drafting a kicker when we already have one of the best ones. This has been a dumb idea every year it has been suggested and nothing has changed.

His avg. is 82% and he's at 70% this year. That's within a reasonable statistical variance, nothing shocking about a minor dip of a temporary nature. Hanson has even admitted where he made a few of his mistakes and knows what the problem is (apparently over-kicking). Anybody can have a bad day and have a couple of strikeouts, but that doesn't mean it is significant in developing a characterization that he is a bad kicker that needs to be replaced. Hanson will be just fine until he's 43 and he still might be good beyond that.

Sorry OP but I'm totally close-minded to your idea and will not respect your idea. I refuse. It's asinine in my opinion. I don't say that about people's opinions very often, but when somebody thinks Jason Hanson isn't a good kicker or thinks Cpep is a good QB, I have major problems and think people that say things like that deserve to get trampled on. It's blasphemy, that's what I think.

[MicrowaveReborn]

I think it's sad that somebody would even come up with an idea like this. Which is the same response I have had the last 2 years that people have suggested drafting a kicker when we already have one of the best ones. This has been a dumb idea every year it has been suggested and nothing has changed.

His avg. is 82% and he's at 70% this year. That's within a reasonable statistical variance, nothing shocking about a minor dip of a temporary nature. Hanson has even admitted where he made a few of his mistakes and knows what the problem is (apparently over-kicking). Anybody can have a bad day and have a couple of strikeouts, but that doesn't mean it is significant in developing a characterization that he is a bad kicker that needs to be replaced. Hanson will be just fine until he's 43 and he still might be good beyond that.

Sorry OP but I'm totally close-minded to your idea and will not respect your idea. I refuse. It's asinine in my opinion. I don't say that about people's opinions very often, but when somebody thinks Jason Hanson isn't a good kicker or thinks Cpep is a good QB, I have major problems and think people that say things like that deserve to get trampled on. It's blasphemy, that's what I think.

Well, your response is a bit shocking. Considering that nowhere in the previous two posts did anyone suggest Jason Hanson was a "bad kicker". The problem with your thinking and the thinking of the Detroit Lions is that they do not see the big picture. They wait until their problems are significant before doing anything. Jason Hanson was in the top ten with regards to kicker salary, on an 0-16 team. Heck, this part season, they even suggested using the franchise tag on their kicker. The suggestion that the Lions might be thinking about a kicker in the next couple years is not asinine or dumb. Matt Millen ran a franchise into the ground because he was "totally close-minded and did not respect the ideas" of others. Using those words in a post to make a point, well, is...

[ajaX82]

I hardly think the sentiment is asinine and non-respectable....that's just being over the top.

Hanson has lost some of his game this year, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet. Give him another season and see what happens. If he continues to diminish, than maybe its time to start thinking about a new guy. But his body of work clearly stands on its own and earns him a free pass for now

[MicrowaveReborn]

I hardly think the sentiment is asinine and non-respectable....that's just being over the top.

Hanson has lost some of his game this year, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet. Give him another season and see what happens. If he continues to diminish, than maybe its time to start thinking about a new guy. But his body of work clearly stands on its own and earns him a free pass for now

Agree 100%. Hence,

"Don't be surprised if a kicker is selected this year or next, especially if a very talented kicker is available, via the draft."

[TSE]

I think it's sad that somebody would even come up with an idea like this. Which is the same response I have had the last 2 years that people have suggested drafting a kicker when we already have one of the best ones. This has been a dumb idea every year it has been suggested and nothing has changed.

His avg. is 82% and he's at 70% this year. That's within a reasonable statistical variance, nothing shocking about a minor dip of a temporary nature. Hanson has even admitted where he made a few of his mistakes and knows what the problem is (apparently over-kicking). Anybody can have a bad day and have a couple of strikeouts, but that doesn't mean it is significant in developing a characterization that he is a bad kicker that needs to be replaced. Hanson will be just fine until he's 43 and he still might be good beyond that.

Sorry OP but I'm totally close-minded to your idea and will not respect your idea. I refuse. It's asinine in my opinion. I don't say that about people's opinions very often, but when somebody thinks Jason Hanson isn't a good kicker or thinks Cpep is a good QB, I have major problems and think people that say things like that deserve to get trampled on. It's blasphemy, that's what I think.

Well, your response is a bit shocking. Considering that nowhere in the previous two posts did anyone suggest Jason Hanson was a "bad kicker". The problem with your thinking and the thinking of the Detroit Lions is that they do not see the big picture. They wait until their problems are significant before doing anything. Jason Hanson was in the top ten with regards to kicker salary, on an 0-16 team. Heck, this part season, they even suggested using the franchise tag on their kicker. The suggestion that the Lions might be thinking about a kicker in the next couple years is not asinine or dumb. Matt Millen ran a franchise into the ground because he was "totally close-minded and did not respect the ideas" of others. Using those words in a post to make a point, well, is...

Nothing wrong with looking for a new kicker in the next couple of years. But we are talking about THIS offseason, and it is not remotely close to a sensible idea. He's under contract for several more years, and there's nothing wrong with him. He's arguably the best kicker in the NFL. It's embarrassing to see that this even a thread THIS offseason. Doesn't mean it won't make for a good topic at a future year when he actually is getting old. Right now he's young and we just need to relax and enjoy having one of the best kickers in the game.

[MicrowaveReborn]

I think it's sad that somebody would even come up with an idea like this. Which is the same response I have had the last 2 years that people have suggested drafting a kicker when we already have one of the best ones. This has been a dumb idea every year it has been suggested and nothing has changed.

His avg. is 82% and he's at 70% this year. That's within a reasonable statistical variance, nothing shocking about a minor dip of a temporary nature. Hanson has even admitted where he made a few of his mistakes and knows what the problem is (apparently over-kicking). Anybody can have a bad day and have a couple of strikeouts, but that doesn't mean it is significant in developing a characterization that he is a bad kicker that needs to be replaced. Hanson will be just fine until he's 43 and he still might be good beyond that.

Sorry OP but I'm totally close-minded to your idea and will not respect your idea. I refuse. It's asinine in my opinion. I don't say that about people's opinions very often, but when somebody thinks Jason Hanson isn't a good kicker or thinks Cpep is a good QB, I have major problems and think people that say things like that deserve to get trampled on. It's blasphemy, that's what I think.

Well, your response is a bit shocking. Considering that nowhere in the previous two posts did anyone suggest Jason Hanson was a "bad kicker". The problem with your thinking and the thinking of the Detroit Lions is that they do not see the big picture. They wait until their problems are significant before doing anything. Jason Hanson was in the top ten with regards to kicker salary, on an 0-16 team. Heck, this part season, they even suggested using the franchise tag on their kicker. The suggestion that the Lions might be thinking about a kicker in the next couple years is not asinine or dumb. Matt Millen ran a franchise into the ground because he was "totally close-minded and did not respect the ideas" of others. Using those words in a post to make a point, well, is...

Nothing wrong with looking for a new kicker in the next couple of years. But we are talking about THIS offseason, and it is not remotely close to a sensible idea. He's under contract for several more years, and there's nothing wrong with him. He's arguably the best kicker in the NFL. It's embarrassing to see that this even a thread THIS offseason. Doesn't mean it won't make for a good topic at a future year when he actually is getting old. Right now he's young and we just need to relax and enjoy having one of the best kickers in the game.

Think of it this way...Kurt Warner (Favre, Joe Montana, any old QB) is arguably one of the best QB's in the NFL. Do you wait until that player breaks down? No. You think about making changes, at the right cost. The first post said:

"Don't be surprised if a kicker is selected this year or next, especially if a very talented kicker is available, via the draft."

Do you only read certain elements of one's post to make your own point? Granted, Jason Hanson is a good kicker. Jason Hanson WAS a great kicker. At 39, he is declining.. It is irresponsible for the Lions to not, at least, consider in the next season or two replacing Jason Hanson. Especially if it saves money for the Detroit Lions. Hanson has a cap number of $2,080,000. Lets use Aaron Brown (6th round pick). His cap number is $335,000. The Lions could "potentially" get a starter for that savings. Hanson is having a down year. He should be given another season to prove himself. If not, then the Lions should look to draft a replacement. Like I said:

"Don't be surprised if a kicker is selected this year or next, especially if a very talented kicker is available, via the draft."

[TSE]

Well yeah that's fine and dandy if our team was run properly for the last 5 years and our team is set and we have nothing left to do but upgrade a kicker, but we aren't there and we have many years before we have to worry about getting a kicker. Why would you want to lock up a roster spot for a guy that might not get to take one kick over the next 4 years? We could draft a kicker and sign him to a 4 or 5 year deal and he may never play. It would be a complete waste. Unless you have a plan to trade Jason Hanson, it's nonsense to suggest acquiring a superfluous kicker that we can't use.

The Lions have done nothing much over the years other than to shock me with illogical moves. It doesn't come as a surprise any more when they make a major gaffe. Yet if they drafted a kicker this year, I would be overly shocked. It's just too unconscionable. We have major problems with our football team and we can't afford one red cent of our draft material to not go towards positional players.

This is the 3rd offseason I have had this exact same response, believe it or not, 2 other people made this same suggestion each of the last 2 years. This idea needs to go away and never spoke of again, until the future when it comes within sniffing range of being relevant to ponder, and THEN you can look for finding the successor in advance, but there's no reason to be in advance of being in advance!

[MicrowaveReborn]

Well yeah that's fine and dandy if our team was run properly for the last 5 years and our team is set and we have nothing left to do but upgrade a kicker, but we aren't there and we have many years before we have to worry about getting a kicker. Why would you want to lock up a roster spot for a guy that might not get to take one kick over the next 4 years? We could draft a kicker and sign him to a 4 or 5 year deal and he may never play. It would be a complete waste. Unless you have a plan to trade Jason Hanson, it's nonsense to suggest acquiring a superfluous kicker that we can't use.

The Lions have done nothing much over the years other than to shock me with illogical moves. It doesn't come as a surprise any more when they make a major gaffe. Yet if they drafted a kicker this year, I would be overly shocked. It's just too unconscionable. We have major problems with our football team and we can't afford one red cent of our draft material to not go towards positional players.

This is the 3rd offseason I have had this exact same response, believe it or not, 2 other people made this same suggestion each of the last 2 years. This idea needs to go away and never spoke of again, until the future when it comes within sniffing range of being relevant to ponder, and THEN you can look for finding the successor in advance, but there's no reason to be in advance of being in advance!

Agree to disagree.

[Bartender]

What happened when GB brought in Aaron Rodgers to learn behind one of the best QB's of all time? He ended up being one of the best QB's in the NFL today... that's what happened.

Bring in Brett Swenson who is EXTREMELY accurate and a MI kid to learn behind Hanson for a year or two and maybe he will turn out to be a HoF K one day.

[MicrowaveReborn]

What happened when GB brought in Aaron Rodgers to learn behind one of the best QB's of all time? He ended up being one of the best QB's in the NFL today... that's what happened.

Bring in Brett Swenson who is EXTREMELY accurate and a MI kid to learn behind Hanson for a year or two and maybe he will turn out to be a HoF K one day.

Unfortunately, NFL teams do not have backup kickers. Even though I agree that the Lions should open their minds to the future...more than likely next year. Having a backup kicker is not an option. A cap hit of $2,080,000 for a kicker on the decline is an option this year and next. But next years draft (if Hanson continues to decline), the conversation must be had with management. At least a conversation. The first mistake was signing a 39 year-old kicker to a four year contract to begin with...that is the real problem.

[TSE]

What happened when GB brought in Aaron Rodgers to learn behind one of the best QB's of all time? He ended up being one of the best QB's in the NFL today... that's what happened.

Bring in Brett Swenson who is EXTREMELY accurate and a MI kid to learn behind Hanson for a year or two and maybe he will turn out to be a HoF K one day.

Unfortunately, NFL teams do not have backup kickers. Even though I agree that the Lions should open their minds to the future...more than likely next year. Having a backup kicker is not an option. A cap hit of $2,080,000 for a kicker on the decline is an option this year and next. But next years draft (if Hanson continues to decline), the conversation must be had with management. At least a conversation. The first mistake was signing a 39 year-old kicker to a four year contract to begin with...that is the real problem.

Agree to disagree! On the part about signing Hanson being the real problem, but I agree with the part about not having a backup kicker. I don't even like having 3 QBs on a roster, let alone 2 kickers.

[Bartender]

What's with the mancrush on Hanson?

[TSE]

He's one of the few respectable players we have that should be and deserves to be on the roster today, which is something that cannot be said for the majority of the players on this roster.

[Bartender]

I would take CJ over a 40 year old kicker any day. I love Hanson and he was the only good part of this team for the last decade, but his time is running out.

[MicrowaveReborn]

He's one of the few respectable players we have that should be and deserves to be on the roster today, which is something that cannot be said for the majority of the players on this roster.

An 0-16 team, followed by a 2-14 team (probably)...no one is safe (other than Franchise QB.

[Piston Pete]

I don't see any harm in drafting a kicker in round 6 or 7 and allowing him to compete with Hanson next season.

[MicrowaveReborn]

I don't see any harm in drafting a kicker in round 6 or 7 and allowing him to compete with Hanson next season.

Finally, someone sees the light...

[Bartender]

I've been saying that this entire thread. :/

Brett Swenson is yo maaaaaan