Gay is Booming it for the Buccaneers
2 min read
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have many fresh players coming into training camp. The one place that has been a question for the Buccaneers is the kicking game. Ever since the release of Matt Bryant, the Buccaneers have been faced with a “curse” of some sort. They’ve tried everything. They even drafted Roberto Aguayo out of Florida State in 2016, who was considered to be one of the best kickers in college football. The curse once again struck, and he too struggled to get the job done. Fast forward to last 2018, and the Buccaneers brought in Cairo Santos, who actually had a pretty decent season.
In 2019 the Buccaneers took another chance at drafting a kicker, but they waited until the 5th round and picked Matt Gay out of Utah. Of course, he comes from Utah, and the air is thinner there, which results in the ball going a lot further because of it. Many already think that he will yet be another failure for the Buccaneers kicking game. Camp is only five days in, and he has been very impressive. Gay made 8 of 9 attempts ranging from 23 to 57-yards, and the only kick he missed was from 48 in which it hit the right upright. His 57-yard kick had great distance on it and would have gone in from much further away.
He will challenge Santos in camp, and in the preseason which is set to open in less than two weeks. We will get to see what he looks like during live-action. So far, it’s looking good for Gay and the Buccaneers, although I believe with what we have seen from Santos, there will still be some stiff some competition yet to come. Gay came in with a big leg, and he is showing that it is not just the thin air that allows him to send footballs so far. Like all rookies, Gay will go through growing pains, but if he kicks as he has been, there will be no worries, and he should make short work of his competitor.
Image Credit: Bucs K Matt Gay - Photo by: Cliff Welch/Pewter Report
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