Who's on the roster?
#4 Jay Feely (5'11" 205, 3rd yr., Michigan)
#2 Joey Huber (6'6" 246, rookie, Colorado State)
#6 John Markham (6' 212, 1st yr., Vanderbilt)
#13 Chris Mohr (6'5" 215, 14th yr., Alabama)
Projected starters: Feely (kicker), Mohr (punter)
Top backups: none
Newcomers: Huber (undrafted rookie), Markham (free agent)
Special teams was the team's best strength in 2002 as assistant coach Joe DeCamillis continues to prove he's one of the league's best.
Kicker Jay Feely improved in his second year in the NFL. There were still some instances where his clutch-kicking could have been better, but considering his youth, all that should come in time. Feely is far from having the most accurate or strongest leg in the NFL, but he just gets the job done. Despite playing a dome, he could connect better with his field goals at home. He seems to be a better kicker on natural surfaces than artificial. Feely is not a lock to make the roster, but with each season that passes and he does, it becomes that much harder to oust him.
He will get competition from John Markham, a player the Giants drafted in 2001. Markham has yet to make an NFL roster. The way Markham can change that is if he can out kick Feely on kickoffs and to match him on field goals. That is how Feely wrestled the job from favorite Jake Arians in 2001. But still Markham remains a long shot.
Chris Mohr returns at punter for the third season in a row. Mohr is one of the league's most accurate punters, and improved tremendously on his distance in 2002. He finished with a career high net average of 40.2 yards, and his 41.9 gross average was the second most in his 13-year career. After spending 10 of those years in the cold winds of Buffalo, the temperate dome environment in Atlanta has been good for Mohr.
Mohr is a near lock to make the roster, but because of his age and salary cap figure, there is a chance he could be ousted. The team added undrafted rookie Joey Huber from Colorado State. Huber is a similar player to Mohr, as he's a better punter in terms of accuracy than distance. But Huber is going to need to show that he is just as accurate as Mohr, and has better leg strength if he wants a chance to make the roster.
Long snapper is a secure position for Derek Rackley, as he has been perfect for three years now. Ben Mahdavi and Matt Stewart can lend their abilities at long snapping, but neither really stands a chance of unseating Rackley. Mohr also serves as the team's holder.
Although it's doubtful, the incumbents will be ousted from the roster spots, the two underdogs can still earn a practice squad spot if their camps are good enough.
The team added MarTay Jenkins to replace Allen Rossum on kickoffs. Although Rossum did return one kickoff for a touchdown in 2002, for the most part his returns were unimpressive. Jenkins on the other hand, has a career average of 25.6 yards and 2 career touchdowns in 3 years of returning. They will be the main two players competing for kickoff duties.
LaTarence Dunbar will probably be the only other player that gets a significant amount of work on kickoff returns. During his college career, Dunbar returned 3 kickoffs for touchdowns.
Besides them, Jamal Burke, Travaris Robison, Terrence Edwards, and Quentin McCord may get a few reps on returns, but it likely will be too minimal for any to gain consideration for the full-time job.
With Rossum, likely out on kickoffs, he'll have to prove his worth on punts. Something he did in 2002, finishing 4th in the NFC with a 12.0 average. But due to his troubles on defense, the team would like to go with a punt returner that can contribute both at their position and on returns. The biggest competition Rossum faces will probably come from Dunbar. Dunbar was not a punt returner in college, but the team hopes his already solid return abilities can translate there.
Also getting work on punt returns will be Terrence Edwards, Warrick Dunn, Jimmy Farris, and Jamal Burke. Peerless Price and MarTay Jenkins may get a few reps here, but that will only be if none of the other players impress.
This competition for the return jobs will affect the rest of the roster as well.
Salary Cap Sense
With Chris Mohr receiving a contract extension in the off-season, his cap figures will almost certainly lead to his retention. The cap may have the biggest impact on the return jobs however. Due to Rossum's high cap figure, if Dunbar or any other player looks decent on punt returns, it's likely Rossum will get the old heave-ho. If none of the players look impressive on punts, the team could still cut Rossum and sign a veteran.
Predictions