SmashMouth

Saints coach Sean Payton wasn’t happy with his long snappers last week, so the team has decided to make a change.

Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate reports that the team has released Thomas Gafford and Chase Dominguez and signed Justin Drescher. Drescher spent the last seven years with the team, but was not re-signed after becoming a free agent this offseason.

The decision to bring him back comes after the Saints tried three different long snapping options — Gafford was signed to replace Jesse Schmitt — and isn’t a major surprise after Payton was critical of the work in that area.

“Both of them are having up and down camps,” Payton said. “They’ll have a day when they look good and sometimes a day where they look poor. From a consistency standpoint, I’m sure those two are competing. We were a little low today on a handful of the snaps. The other day, I felt we were a bit inconsistent. You would like to see a little bit greater location consistency for your punter.”

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Rugby Saint II

YES! YES! YES! Championship baby! I have always loved Drescher. You need a great long snapper and we paid him well to do it before we cut him for a cheaper player. Welcome home!

spkb25

nice!

jnormand

They tried to save some cash then realized that it wasn't going to work. Glad to have him back.

hagan714

gotta stop screwing with key special team players.

SmashMouth

vpheughan

Yeah! "What if........!"

K Major

I'm sure he took a lot of heat from last season (blocked kicks on s/t) & also the blocking or lack-thereof.

QBREES9

SWEET!!!!!

AsylumGuido

You really can't put the blame on Drescher for the blocked extra point versus the Broncos. Look at this video. You can see at the 5 second point the defenders on each side of Drescher hold him down so he couldn't get up to stop Justin Simmons from leaping over him. Which, by the way, is now illegal.


Then look at this video of the blocked field goal by the Panthers on November 17th. The breakdown here was with the right side of the line allowing Vernon Butler to get enough penetration to get his hand on the ball. The was no pressure from the middle. Also note the low trajectory of the kick. That one was also on Lutz.


The Jonathon Hankins (95) blocked FG in the Giants game is difficult to determine Drescher's role. I found two videos, but both start with Jenkins already through a hole. It does end up with Drescher (47) on the ground like he was pulled forward.

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill