http://falcfans.com/2015-falcons-special-teams-60672015 Falcons: Special Teams
June 21st, 2012 Aaron Freeman
Come 2015, there is only one current Falcon that remains on their special teams unit. That player is punter Matt Bosher. From underwhelming beginnings in 2011, Bosher has turned into one of the league’s better punters by 2015. His ability as a kickoff specialist also gives him value. No one confuses him with being among the best guys like Andy Lee or Shane Lechler, but he is quietly consistent and solid.
At kicker, the Falcons replaced Matt Bryant following the 2014 season with Nate Kaeding. Bryant gave the Falcons a lot of consistent kicking over the years, but it was time to go with a younger leg. While Kaeding has never been the most reliable kicker, the team is confident that kicking in the reliable indoor environment of the Georgia Dome will make him one of the league’s most accurate long ball kickers. It was the deterioration of Bryant’s leg strength that was the primary reason why the team decided to move on. Kaeding is no spring chicken at age 33 when 2015 rolls around, but given that Bryant was able to produce until he was 39, the team is confident that they can get at least four or five good years from Kaeding.
Snapping for both specialists is Josh Harris, their undrafted free agent out of Auburn in 2012. While Harris did not win the job outright in a camp competition with Joe Zelenka that summer, he did impress the team enough that when they opted to part ways with Zelenka the following spring, he was the first guy they called to replace him. Harris has since snapped well in his two seasons as the Falcons snapper, and they believe he has the potential to continue to do well for another decade in a Falcon uniform.
As mentioned with the discussion of the defensive backs and receivers, Jordan Poyer and Cody Pearcy are the team’s pair of returners. Poyer works on punts, and Pearcy primarily on kickoffs.
