Eagles add free agent punter
The Eagles have agreed to terms with punter Bobby Kelsey, an undrafted rookie free agent from Illinois State.
Eagles add free agent punter
Daily News staff
Kelsey averaged 41.1 yards per punt last season and helped the Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference and rank ninth nationally in net punting.
He is expected to come to Philadelphia on Monday to begin working with the team's special teams coaches. Kelsey figures to take some of the burden off Sav Rocca this spring and summer through training camp.
We told you yesterday about Wake Forest kicker/punter Sam Swank, but this moves likely means that Swank's role will be to help take some of the kicking chores off David Akers.
“The whole process has reminded me of the college recruiting process,” Kelsey said. “I just had to be patient and wait for things to happen. I’m excited about the opportunity. Now it is up to me to do my part.”
He joins former Illinois State teammate Walter Mendenhall on the Eagles' roster.
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Comments (34)
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Lonewowf, don't hold your breath. They will use these guys for training purposes and dump them. We will never go into a season that has Super Bowl hopes with any rookie kicker/punter. It's a shame because I believe Swank has big potential and will be more reliable than Akers (who isn't?) in the long run.— dpell- akers had better wathc his back...— Huge
- Are you to numbnuts really complaining about the punting? The guys they signed will be on the practice squad to give them some time to develop and mature. But really its May and your b!tching about the kicking game?— Criz2020
- I'm really concerned about our holder....— Will T.
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- Who cares, just win a Superbowl once in my lifetime! - Very Doubtful— Superbowless Eagles
- Who cares, just win a Superbowl once in my lifetime! - Very Doubtful— Superbowless Eagles
- One glaring problem the Eagles had last year that you reporters fail to address is one facet of the special teams play. Allow me to raise it. I logged the 40 times of the kids who fetch the kicking tee during warmups for every game and noticed a serious lack of speed. Compared to other kickoff kids selected by other teams, our kids were at least 3 to 4 tenths slower. Note to Andy and Hechert: please fill this hole fast lest the season collapses into oblivion.— PhillyPhantastico
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- PhillyPhantastico - Awesome— octo
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- @PhillyPhantastico very nice! Anyway, I know Akers wasn't great last season but when you say "who isn't" regarding who is more reliable than Akers, the answer is almost no one. If you look at his entire career, and i don't have the numbers but I believe Akers is in the top 3 of most accurate kickers in NFL history on a percentage basis. and from 40 yards in he is almost, as Eskin would say, a "stone cold, mortal lock". So cut the guy some slack— fab5phily
- Sam Swank will definitely replace David "nurture me McNabb" Akers by the end of this year. Akers is done and Swank is awesome.— brmorgen81
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- We need to upgrade the long snapper. Guys who do magic can not be trusted.— Captain
- Swank was up for the Groza twice, Shadle kicks in a dome. Nuff said.— cps147
- Lmao, I needed some humor this morning.— bobf123
- Akers kicks poorly in the Championship game so he must go! You all have a short memory. He struggled early in the season, then was automatic till that game. My guess is that no one bothered to notice or you all loved him until he blew up in the championship game. Akers is still one of the top 5 in the game, let's see what the rookie can do in camp berfore you give him the job.— phillyfanEugene
- Akers is still one of the top 5 kickers in the NFL, kids. Gimme a break.— Bake McBride
- Akers cost us 5 points, and Sav still hasn't figured out how to punt into the wind at giants stadium. In case you haven't noticed, the winds of change are blowing around here. "New" Andy and the squad are going for broke this year, bowl or fired. There can be no other way.— Onlineps2beast
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- I usually see some intelligent posts about the team on here. What happened to those people? Akers is NOT the punter, so what makes you think this guy could replace him? Sav Rocca is the punter. Some fans you are!
- For the love of god, PhillyPhantastico is right. Every game I watch these slow kids "run" onto the field for the kicking tee - and I boo and boo and boo at their lack of speed.— DLG
- camp cannon foder......he will learn....he will give Sav's leg a rest....he will be gone.....who cares....enjoy the brief stint young man...— nuggett
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- Barring injury, the kicker and punter will not make the squad. If you look at actual statistics, Akers and Rocca were pretty strong. They are not the problem to be fixed. DM has to be more consistent, Eagles need to be able to convert 3rd and 1, Eagles need to score in the red zone, they need to get more turnovers, and they need to avoid injuries. If they do, they will win.— JohnFC
I cannot sleep at night I am so concerned about the long snapper.- PhillyPhantastico very phunny!! I agree with you. People forget that we were always on the outside of the playoffs looking in before Reid got here...Can we say spoiled!!— jthomas40
- For most of his years, my man David Akers was the best field-goal kicker on the planet. Yes because of injury he is no longer that good. But I will bet anybody my next Social Security check that he will start and,good lord willing, finish this season by not missing more than two FG's inside 43 yards.— TBear
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- Too much concern over the kicking game; wouldn't be an issue if the offensive concerns where taken care of. Akers is a great kicker, wouldn't have to worry about 40+ yard kicks if the offense had the weapons to move the ball— earth320
- I think Sav Rocca is OK, but Akers had a rough season. He used to be automatic....those days are gone.— 1stStateTarHeel
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