In a surprising cut early in camp, the Raiders release their starting kicker from 2017 as the competition for the place kicker role continues at training camp in Napa.
Not only is former Cal kicker Giorgio Tavecchio a great story, but by all accounts, he is a great guy as well. But this is the NFL and the reality of it being a business is apparent on days like today when the Raiders released the kicker after just over a week of training camp.
Tavecchio did an admirable job in filling in for the injured Sebastian Janikowski last season and ranked highly in kickoff categories in 2017. According to stats from Pro Football Focus, Tavecchio ranked sixth according to their grading system with a 79.6 score.
Despite the ranking, where Tavecchio struggled was in converting on field goals. His field goal percentage was ranked 31st in the league last year with a 76-percent success rate kicking for three.
Still, the cut comes at a surprising time despite the development of a competition culture in Jon Gruden‘s first camp back at the helm of the Silver and Black. The day he was cut, Tavecchio nailed six attempts ranging from 38 to 51 yards before being released after practice
Tavecchio becomes another casualty of the change in Napa as the overhaul of the Raiders special teams continued. Rookie Eddy Pineiro has impressed coaches but the rookie has not won the job yet despite Tavecchio getting his walking papers. The team also announced it had signed veteran journeyman kicker Mike Nugent. Nugent received an overall grade of 53.3 from PFF good for 52nd in the league. The 36-year old veteran is not exactly impressive, but he did kick in Dallas under new Raiders special teams coach Rich Bisaccia.
The competition for the kicking spot is not over, but the early cut of the teams starting kicker for an elder journeyman was a bit of a surprise.
The good news for the kicker: the Raiders let him go early which gives him a better chance to sign on somewhere else in time for the preseason to compete on another roster.