Parcells won't use Vanderjagt in Sunday's opener
By MAC ENGEL
TAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
IRVING – Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he thinks he will have Shaun Suisham as the team’s kicker in Jacksonville on Sunday. That would leave Mike Vanderjagt on the bench. And it has nothing to do with a sore groin that kept him out of two preseason games.
“Initially it was because of his groin. But Mike is fine now,” an NFL source said. “He’s kicked all week. He’s kicked extremely well all week. He wants this to play out, but right now he’s puzzled and disappointed. He knows he can do this job.”
Parcells’ decision isn’t final, but he said he does not want to use two roster spots on a kicker for Sunday’s game.
“I’ve just seen (Suisham) do a little bit more right now and I’m not sure about Mike physically exactly based on what he said after (the preseason finale),” Parcells said. “Mike kicked pretty good today in terms of numbers and we’ll see where we are. I could change my mind, but I think my plans are to go with Suisham.”
On Friday morning, Suisham said he was told he was kicking.
The move is a continuation of an up-and-down preseason for the most accurate kicker in NFL history, who signed a contract this off-season that included a $2.5 million signing bonus.
Signed to solve the seemingly never-ending problem at kicker for the Cowboys, Vanderjagt was erratic in minicamp. He made a 21-yard-field goal in the preseason opener in Seattle before he was slowed by a sore groin.
He didn’t kick again until the preseason finale, and made a 22-yard-field goal before the fateful overtime. In the extra session, Vanderjagt pushed a 32 and a 33-yard field goal to the right.
In his only kickoff attempt of the preseason, Vanderjagt’s kick against the Vikings’ reached the 12-yard line.
Conversely, Suisham’s kickoffs consistently sailed inside the 5-yard line. He also made four of five field goals in the preseason.
Vanderjagt repeatedly said he usually struggles in preseason, but that he had the ability to flip a switch and make field goals when they count. He also said his sore groin didn’t help him when he kicked in the preseason finale, but was no excuse to miss the kicks.
TAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
IRVING – Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he thinks he will have Shaun Suisham as the team’s kicker in Jacksonville on Sunday. That would leave Mike Vanderjagt on the bench. And it has nothing to do with a sore groin that kept him out of two preseason games.
“Initially it was because of his groin. But Mike is fine now,” an NFL source said. “He’s kicked all week. He’s kicked extremely well all week. He wants this to play out, but right now he’s puzzled and disappointed. He knows he can do this job.”
Parcells’ decision isn’t final, but he said he does not want to use two roster spots on a kicker for Sunday’s game.
“I’ve just seen (Suisham) do a little bit more right now and I’m not sure about Mike physically exactly based on what he said after (the preseason finale),” Parcells said. “Mike kicked pretty good today in terms of numbers and we’ll see where we are. I could change my mind, but I think my plans are to go with Suisham.”
On Friday morning, Suisham said he was told he was kicking.
The move is a continuation of an up-and-down preseason for the most accurate kicker in NFL history, who signed a contract this off-season that included a $2.5 million signing bonus.
Signed to solve the seemingly never-ending problem at kicker for the Cowboys, Vanderjagt was erratic in minicamp. He made a 21-yard-field goal in the preseason opener in Seattle before he was slowed by a sore groin.
He didn’t kick again until the preseason finale, and made a 22-yard-field goal before the fateful overtime. In the extra session, Vanderjagt pushed a 32 and a 33-yard field goal to the right.
In his only kickoff attempt of the preseason, Vanderjagt’s kick against the Vikings’ reached the 12-yard line.
Conversely, Suisham’s kickoffs consistently sailed inside the 5-yard line. He also made four of five field goals in the preseason.
Vanderjagt repeatedly said he usually struggles in preseason, but that he had the ability to flip a switch and make field goals when they count. He also said his sore groin didn’t help him when he kicked in the preseason finale, but was no excuse to miss the kicks.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:03 PM
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