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CBS 58 Sports Story
When third-round draft pick B.J. Sander struggled with his punts, veteran Brian Barker was brought in. For two weeks, Barker out-punted Sander, who shanked a 5-yarder in the Packer's 27-7 loss to the Titans, but coach Mike Sherman
might not want to cut a guy he traded up to take in the NFL draft.

The last thing Sherman needs to worry about, however, is special teams.

USA Today
Inside Slant
NOTES, QUOTES Posted 9/2/2004

One way or the other, Bryan Barker fully intends to be punting in the NFL this year. He just isn't sure for which team.

It could be for the Packers. But ever since they sent out an SOS to Barker 10 days ago rookie B.J. Sander has stabilized his free fall toward the unemployment line.

Barker, 40, knows the score. The Packers traded up to draft Sander in the third round and already paid him a non-refundable signing bonus of $583,625.

"I'm not going to say I can tell they want him to win it but I can say they want him to win it," Barker said. "You're not going to draft a guy on the third round if you don't want him. That's pretty obvious."

Nevertheless, Barker brims with self-confidence and indicated that he doesn't feel like the underdog in the competition.

"No," he said. "I'm the veteran. I have nothing to lose."

Two weeks ago, or shortly before he signed with the Packers, Barker had phone calls from two teams that he wouldn't identify inquiring about his availability. Those calls had to stop after he signed a one-year, $660,000 contract but the interest undoubtedly remains.

"This is not a make-or-break thing for me," Barker said. "If this is a situation where I'm not going to be here I know I can help somebody and I probably will. I'm just getting ready for the season no matter what color I'm wearing."


=====
NOTES, QUOTES Posted 9/9/2004

—Coach Mike Sherman kept two punters on the roster, believe it or not, but still hasn't said if veteran Bryan Barker or rookie B.J. Sander will punt against Carolina.

It seems like a no-brainer. Sander posted the poorest average 36.0 yards) of any Packer with at least 10 attempts in the last 20 exhibition season. Barker is a veteran of 14 NFL seasons and clearly outkicked Sander in the final two outings.

"I don't want to be here if I'm not punting, I'll tell you that," Barker said. "If I'm not punting then I don't know how well they'll do. Hard for me to speculate how anyone else would do.

"I'm here to help the Packers win games and to help B.J. Sander become a better punter, a punter for the future for the Packers," Barker said. "I've played against Scott (O'Brien, Carolina's prized special teams coach) many, many times, and they have fantastic special teams."

Maybe the Packers believe so much in Sander's potential and actually fear that another team would claim him on waivers. Or, they could waive Sander at the end of the week, hope he clears waivers when everyone's rosters are set and then stash him on the practice squad.

If that's the case, then Sherman was saved the embarrassment of having to stand up Sunday and explain how he blew it so badly on both Tim Couch ($625,000 signing bonus) and Sander ($583,250).

"I think he'll be a good punter just like Kenny Peterson is a good player this year," Sherman said. "There's some things we're going to work with him on this week. It's not an easy transition from college to the pros. You have to be mature enough to handle the bad as well as the good, and that's not easy sometimes."

In any event, Barker as a vested veteran will be guaranteed his entire $760,000 base salary ($455,000 counts against the cap) if he's still on the 53-man roster Sunday.

"What I count against the cap with this exemption clause is the same as a third-year player," Barker said. "I think the deal would be fantastic for them under those circumstances. We're not talking about guaranteeing me multiple millions."


—By the way, Sander punted 23 times in the four exhibition games and had averages of 36.0 yards (gross), 30.8 yards (net) and 4.10 seconds (hang time). Veteran Bryan Barker punted eight times in two games and averaged 42.4, 35.9 and 4.31.

Carolina's Todd Sauerbrun, the punter for the NFC team in the Pro Bowl after the last three seasons, punted 25 times and averaged 47.2 and 40.0. Compared to the Packers' averages, Sauerbrun's punts carried about 10 yards farther.

Sander's gross of 36.0 was the worst of any punter in Green Bay who had a minimum of 10 attempts in exhibition seasons dating to 1984. The next lowest was 37.0 by rookie Bill Smith in '87.

Sander's net of 30.8 also was the worst of any punter in Green Bay since the Packers began recording net average in the '94 exhibition season. The next lowest was 31.7 by Josh Bidwell in '00.

Last edited by author: Fri September 10, 2004 22:25:54   Edited 2 times.

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hey .... they are on the ball at SantaClaraBroncos.com
A Story first Reported here by dent
and from what I have read (and hear?) the Mission Campus could not have a better rep .... Brian and his wife seem to make the NFL humanitarian All-Star team wherever they go ...

you Go BRONCO !!!


Barker trivia ....

although his season-long 69-yarder was the longest by an NFC punter last season ...

his longest Punt at SCU ... 81 yards vs. Humboldt State, Sept. 15, 1984

is not even Long Enough to be #1 (at least in the Modern Div II era)in the SCU record books (.... its #2)

what is that Longest Punt record???

Last edited by author: Sun September 12, 2004 20:49:51   Edited 3 times.

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[> [> [> [> [> Orinda's Own -- the pre-season record -- Bronco66, 12:04:13 09/13/04 Mon

Brian starts year 16? ... this could be sweet ...
(he is already out kicking the opposition ... )

You Go BRONCO !!!


PUNTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Yds Avg Net .TB In 20. LG . Blk
B.J. Sander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 828 36.0 30.8 . 3 .. 3 . 54 . 0
Bryan Barker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 339 42.4 35.9 . 2 .. 2 . 52 . 0
Nathan Chapman . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 114 38.0 34.0 . 0 .. 0 . 39 . 0
PACKERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 1281 37.7 32.3 . 5 .. 5 . 54 . 0
OPPONENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 1403 40.1 34.7 . 5 . 11 . 59 . 0


Last edited by author: Mon September 13, 2004 12:09:11   Edited 1 time.

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