Many people do not realize it but punters are arguably the most underrated position in the NFL. They change the dynamic of the game each and every time they go out there and could be a major factor for teams' success.
We all know the skill positions, quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end, are the most vital positions and are the big moneymakers on the team. But punters change the entire game with just the kick of the ball.
Having a good punter is everything. Say you are backed up inside your own 10 yard line and you need to punt the ball away to your opponent. A good punt of 60 or more yards is going to back the opponent up to deeper in their own territory, making it harder to drive down the field as efficiently.
A big leg can be a huge difference when it comes to flipping the field. Often worse punters are unable to punt it as far or we can see rare shanks occur. This gives the opposing team a huge advantage in field position and gives them momentum as well.
Another underrated aspect of the position is pinning opponents back deep. Being able to punt the ball so it rolls inside the 10 yard line and does not roll into the end zone takes a lot of skill. With a punter who is able to succeed at this consistently, they make defenses' jobs a lot easier, playing against an offense with a condensed field to work with.
So punters are obviously never going to get paid the big bucks like skill position players on offense and defense, but don't sleep on what punters can bring to the table. NFL teams should pay closer attention to the position and put the best guy out there that they can find to help their team win some ball games.
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