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PK Joe Nedney, San Francisco 49ers
HT: 6-5, WT: 225, Born: 3-22-1973, College: San Jose State, Drafted: ---
2008 Projections
Best Case
In 2005, Detroit ranked dead last in kicker scoring. The following year Mike Martz took over as their offensive coordinator, and they jumped all the way up to 7th in kicker scoring. Last year, San Francisco ranked dead last in kicker scoring. This year Mike Martz takes over as their offensive coordinator. Can history repeat itself? Nedney did well on his limited opportunities last year, hitting 17 of 19 (89.5%) on field goals. His two misses were both from long range, wide right from 52 and 55 yards. Nedney was the 49ers primary scorer in 2005, with a career best 92.9% (26 of 28), and was voted team co-MVP. In 2006 he actually scored more points, but so did the rest of the team. He ended 2006 with 29 of 35 (82.9%) field goals and 29 PATs. After a slow start to his career, he has evolved into a fairly accurate kicker. In the three years prior to joining San Francisco that he actually played, he was also a decent kicker. He was 89.5% on field goals, and scored 124 points in 2000 with Carolina. His numbers in Tennessee were 71.4% and 94 points in 2001, and 80.6% and 111 points in 2002. He has the range to hit long field goals, with at least one 50+ yarder every year he's played since 1998. Nedney's a survivor. Most players with the track record described below would have long since retired from football.
Worst Case
Nedney did miss one game with an injury in 2005, however that was minor compared to the 31.7 games he missed the two prior years. He is either injury prone or very unlucky. In high school his lung collapsed three times. After surgery, he had to switch from wide receiver to kicker in order to continue his football career. He missed a year's worth of games in 1998/99 with a torn left ACL. In 2003 he tore his right ACL in the second quarter of week one, and missed the remainder of the year. In 2004 he tore his left hamstring in the final week of preseason, and missed the entire year. In 2006, Nedney played his first full 16 game season for the first time since 2002. Nedney was not a very good kicker his first three years in the NFL with Miami and Arizona. He connected on only 64.6% of his field goal attempts, including 12 of 31 from 40+ yards. After eleven years in the league, his age is starting to show with a decline in kickoff distance. Through 2003, his annual kickoff average ranged from 62.2 to 68.0. Since joining the 49ers it has ranged from 59.6 to 60.7.
Outlook
San Francisco had climbed to 8th in kicker scoring in 2006 year after ranking 21st in 2005 and 30th in 2004. Last year they tumbled all the way to 32nd, scoring only 73 total kicking points. For comparison, Stephen Gostkowski scored 74 points just on PATs last year. The young 49ers offense didn't fare well last year with the departure of previous offensive coordinator Norv Turner. This year will feature yet another new offensive coordinator, Mike Martz. Known for his high scoring pass-oriented offenses, the kickers under his system have also benefited. During his two years in Detroit, the Lions and Jason Hanson finished in the top ten in kicker scoring both years. During his seven years in St. Louis, the Rams and Jeff Wilkins finished in the top ten in kicker scoring four times, including two years at number one. In his first year with them as offensive coordinator back in 1999, they finished 5th in kicker scoring. The year before he arrived they had ranked only 26th. San Francisco and Nedney are hoping the instant turnaround occurs for a third time.
