How Should the 49ers Address the Kicker Position?

I'd say, give Akers the Old Yeller treatment. it's time.

Originally posted by ChazBoner:

I'd say, give Akers the Old Yeller treatment. it's time.

I don't think we should take him out back and shoot him, but he should be cut. Akers isn't infected with Rabies, but he is a terrible kicker.

Both, Draft one of the top three kickers (Hopkins, Sturgis, or Maher) and then bring in another free agent rookie who does not get drafted (e.g. Quinn Sharp OK St maybe) to compete. May the best man win.

P.S. With the Niners close to the cap and with other pressing needs, I wouldn't look at a veteran free agent even though Bironas or Dawson would be tempting.

Originally posted by Wrathman:

Originally posted by ChazBoner:
I'd say, give Akers the Old Yeller treatment. it's time.

I don't think we should take him out back and shoot him, but he should be cut. Akers isn't infected with Rabies, but he is a terrible kicker.

Whatever the problem with akers is, isn't his lack of leg it's in his mental state.

Draaaaaaaasaaaffffffftttttt.

The odd thing was that Akers looked excellent in the superbowl. I really want to stick with him. However I think we need to draft a backup in a hurry because when he isn't on he is terrible.

Kickers have to deal with a lot of pressure when dealing with a game winning or even game tying kick. There are plenty of kickers who are good all regular season but choke when it really matters.

Norwood cost Jim Kelly rings
Vanderjagt perfect all season but missed in the post season when it mattered most
Kaeding failed in the post season but was still a middle round pick meaning he was good prospect
Cundiff to force OT vs Pats the previous AFC championship

Anybody can say it's easy to be a kicker, fact is that it's easiest to lose your job as a kicker. Some may even go insane and place blame that the laces weren't out like Ray Finkle DIE DAN DIE!!!! JK but on a serious note I just want a kicker that can handle pressure. I don't want to draft a good rookie kicker and have him miss a big time kick, career ended. Confidence shattered, reputation ruined, death threats from fans etc.

I'd sign a vet like Tynes or Dawson but preferably Bironas.

Where does Mike Cofer fit in in all this?

Originally posted by BayArea:
The odd thing was that Akers looked excellent in the superbowl. I really want to stick with him. However I think we need to draft a backup in a hurry because when he isn't on he is terrible.

Pretty sure you're forgetting the field goal he shanked....but was saved by an iffy roughing the kicker penalty.

Originally posted by dyNASTYmode:
Kickers have to deal with a lot of pressure when dealing with a game winning or even game tying kick. There are plenty of kickers who are good all regular season but choke when it really matters.

Norwood cost Jim Kelly rings
Vanderjagt perfect all season but missed in the post season when it mattered most
Kaeding failed in the post season but was still a middle round pick meaning he was good prospect
Cundiff to force OT vs Pats the previous AFC championship

Anybody can say it's easy to be a kicker, fact is that it's easiest to lose your job as a kicker. Some may even go insane and place blame that the laces weren't out like Ray Finkle DIE DAN DIE!!!! JK but on a serious note I just want a kicker that can handle pressure. I don't want to draft a good rookie kicker and have him miss a big time kick, career ended. Confidence shattered, reputation ruined, death threats from fans etc.

I'd sign a vet like Tynes or Dawson but preferably Bironas.

They were talking about removing field goals from the game awhile back on espn. I got to say despite tradition I do agree.

Why should an entire game come down to a guy who has sat on the bench for 99% of it? The guys that bled it out for 60 minutes have got to put all their chips on a guy who is essentially a soccer player?

I say take it out of the game and make it 4 downs of football. Too much is put on the kickers who hardly even play. The whole game is the sum of one guy who was on the field for 25 seconds total? It is an injustice.

Originally posted by Wrathman:

Originally posted by ChazBoner:
I'd say, give Akers the Old Yeller treatment. it's time.

I don't think we should take him out back and shoot him, but he should be cut. Akers isn't infected with Rabies, but he is a terrible kicker.

i agree but he certainly did make me foam at the mouth many times this year

Originally posted by BayArea:
The odd thing was that Akers looked excellent in the superbowl. I really want to stick with him. However I think we need to draft a backup in a hurry because when he isn't on he is terrible.

not me , i do not care what he did in the super bowl,,. he planted a seed of doubt with me that will always be there. i do not want to get all tense when the guy comes in for a chip shot let alone a winning kick. can you imagine this place, if JH stood pat, did nothing and then akers comes out next year missing kicks and costing us games?? no, he needs to go. he can never be trusted. its funny, i can forgive roger craig and kyle for fumbles in a week but when a kicker f**ks us over multiple times, f**k him .

Originally posted by cciowa:

Originally posted by BayArea:
The odd thing was that Akers looked excellent in the superbowl. I really want to stick with him. However I think we need to draft a backup in a hurry because when he isn't on he is terrible.

not me , i do not care what he did in the super bowl,,. he planted a seed of doubt with me that will always be there. i do not want to get all tense when the guy comes in for a chip shot let alone a winning kick. can you imagine this place, if JH stood pat, did nothing and then akers comes out next year missing kicks and costing us games?? no, he needs to go. he can never be trusted. its funny, i can forgive roger craig and kyle for fumbles in a week but when a kicker f**ks us over multiple times, f**k him .

I am with you on all of that. He cost us several games already that could have ended our season.... Rams. I kind of want to blame that on the coaches for playing him after that ...what was it.... groin or pelvis or whatever injury he had? Clearly wasn't the same after that considering he was a pro bowl kicker the season before. Not to say I am surprised as Akers has had inconsistent play on other teams. Great one second and a turd the next. I just question how much of that is because of him sucking or because of the guys calling the plays. Akers should have been benched 6 games before the playoffs. To still put him out there after that consistent terrible play is beyond me. It reeks of cheapness that our staff didn't go out there and get a guy to fill in while Akers recovered from whatever injury he had.

Still, we can agree we need to draft or sign a replacement RIGHT NOW.

Originally posted by BayArea:
I am with you on all of that. He cost us several games already that could have ended our season.... Rams. I kind of want to blame that on the coaches for playing him after that ...what was it.... groin or pelvis or whatever injury he had? Clearly wasn't the same after that considering he was a pro bowl kicker the season before. Not to say I am surprised as Akers has had inconsistent play on other teams. Great one second and a turd the next. I just question how much of that is because of him sucking or because of the guys calling the plays. Akers should have been benched 6 games before the playoffs. To still put him out there after that consistent terrible play is beyond me. It reeks of cheapness that our staff didn't go out there and get a guy to fill in while Akers recovered from whatever injury he had.

Still, we can agree we need to draft or sign a replacement RIGHT NOW.

i agree with you so much here. he should have been cut the day he cost us the first rams game, they had kaeding they could have signed and i think that would have been a better deal for us. instead they f**ked around with it and well we saw what happened. yes of course i think you can find a good kicker in the fifth and then bring in some guy to compete in pre season. lets remove the stench of akers now

I vote for her to be our next kicker.