8. Who Will Win the Kicker Competition?
When he entered the league as the first placekicker taken in the 2013 NFL Draft, there were high expectations for Caleb Sturgis. At UF, Sturgis was an All-SEC first team selection, a Lou Grouza Award finalist multiple times, set school records, and was viewed as having a strong leg.
Injuries, his latest being a strained quad that kept him out most of the summer, and inaccuracy has seemingly put Sturgis on the brink of being let go by the Dolphins. While he has made six kicks of 50+ yards in his two seasons, his field goal percentages of 76.5 and 78.4 during that time rank among the lowest in the league. And his 70% from 40-49 yards is below league average.
The Fins brought in undrafted rookie Andrew Franks to compete with Sturgis during the offseason. Franks, who played collegiately at division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), struggled with accuracy in college but has a strong leg.
During the inter-squad scrimmage, both kickers made all three of their field goal attempts:Â Sturgis from 38, 41 and 46 yards while Franks connected from 39, 44 and 51 yards. On Monday, Franks made five of six attempts, including a 56-yarder. According to Philbin, both Sturgis, listed as the starter, and Franks will be given an opportunity to play in the preseason. Which kicker will be asked to kick in different situations and who will step up?
Next: Which Rookie or Undrafted Free Agent Will Make the Biggest Impact?
