According to several "reports" and "rumors", Bill Parcells may be targeting Adam Vinatieri in the free agent market. The Cowboys had a terrible time with their place kicker during the 2005 season Scott Norwood, Billy Cundiff, etc. and are looking for an upgrade. Will it be Vanderjagt, Bryant or Vinatieri? In evaluating their kicking albatross, The Ranch Report evaluates Vinatieri and the likes:
"Consider this. Adam Vinatieri accounted for 31% of total point production in New England last year, John Carney amassed 26% in San Diego, Mike Vanderjagt registered 24% in Indy, and Lawrence Tynes responded with 23% for Kansas City. These were the four highest-scoring clubs in 2004, and their kickers were directly responsible for 26% of the overall points scored by each franchise. Also understand this. The further we go down the list in total points scored, the higher the percentage of kicker contribution to the bottom line. "
The talk continues in a related article that the cowboys are also looking at Tampa's Matt Bryant:
"The Cowboys, said a close source to the situation, "are absolutely in love with Backus.'' "Love'' might not be quite the right word for Dallas' interest in Bryant; after all, he was in the Cowboys' camp not so long ago when Dallas made the fateful decision to go with Billy Cundiff. But a source tells us that ranking behind New England's Adam Vinatieri and Indy's Mike Vanderjagt, and right alongside the rest, is none other than Bryant, who had a fine season with the Bucs and is now available again. "My bet," a source tells us, is that (Dallas) will get one of those three: Vinatieri, Vanderjagt or Bryant."
All that being said, a lot of former players complain and moan about Parcells. But, when they have a chance to follow him somewhere, (ala Drew Bledsoe, Curtis Martin, Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn and several others) the majority of them go. I for one do not want Vinatieri to leave, but I am sure it will come down to money as it always does. I hope he considers that he is a legend in New England and he has a much better chance to earn additional jewelry here than he would in Irving, Texas.
