Dallas Cowboys release of Kai Forbath means ‘The Leg’ is ready

The Dallas Cowboys are entering training with only one kicker on the roster means that they are fully confident in their starter moving forward.

The Dallas Cowboys have just begun the process of getting this year’s version of training camp and they have released veteran kicker Kai Forbath. I am not surprised as I thought he would not be on the roster but I did think they would have used him as trade bait.

Not every kicking situation in the league is settled and I think releasing Forbath so early in this process means that free-agent addition Greg ” The Leg” Zuerlein is more than ready to go. If you are not familiar, Zuerlein dealt with foot and groin injuries that plagued him for a substantial part of last season and his on-field performance suffered because of it.

Now that the Dallas Cowboys have undoubtedly done their health homework, it seems that Forbath was expendable and Zuerlein will stabilize the position for at least the next three years. I just hope that releasing the veteran kicker who went 10 for 10 in limited action last year doesn’t come back to haunt the team.

The last big-name free agent kicker the Dallas Cowboys signed turned out to be a colossal mistake. Kicker Mike Vanderjagt who at the time was among the best and most accurate kickers of all time wore out his welcome with missed opportunities. His lone season with the Cowboys, Vanderjagt hit 72.2% of his field goals and did not make it through the season.

Vanderjagt was replaced towards the end of the season after the Dallas Cowboys signed him to a three-year deal. I am not saying Zuerlein will falter like Vanderjagt, but it is eerily similar to how both players were allowed to leave their previous teams because of accuracy issues, and both were signed to three-year deals.

Zuerlein was 72.7% on his field goals last year but was 100% on extra points. Zuerlein missed six field goals from 40-49 yards last year makes me feel as uneasy as keeping Brett Maher past his expiration date. Zuerlein had only missed eight times in his career from that range before last season.

What is the impact of moving forward regarding the kicking situation?

Two potential landing spots for the now-former Cowboys kicker Forbath could have negative results. The New York Giants are in the market for a kicker after releasing their kicker for off-field issues and I question if the Chicago Bears have full confidence in their situation moving forward. Both could have negative results for the Dallas Cowboys down the line.

Former head coach Jason Garrett who is now the Giants offensive coordinator could sway the decision to sign a former player. With Forbath being perfect in his short time with Garrett, the confidence he has in his former kicker could make this a reality.

Losing a player to a rival is not always fun but one that could have a last attempt in deciding whether you win or lose will always result in questioning the front office and their decisions. If Zuerlein fails to display that he is not fully healed from his injuries and Forbath thrives with an opponent, allowing him to leave without compensation isn’t as bad as determining where he ends up.

The 2010 San Diego Chargers had the number one rated offense and defense but missed the playoffs due to a historically bad special teams unit. The 2020 Dallas Cowboys have to be better on special teams in order for them to get to where they want to go. Allowing a special team’s contributor to leave ranks as a loss in my book even if it is only a small blip on the national radar.