The Bucs have unofficially declared the winner of their training camp kicker competition. According to Field Yates of ESPN the team has waived kicker Rodrigo Blankenship.
Blankenship was a late off-season addition to the Bucs roster as they signed him on June 15th. He was brought in to compete with fellow free agent addition Chase McLaughlin who the team signed during the initial free agency period.
Blankenship had a strong rookie campaign in 2020, converting 32 of his 37 field goal attempts (86.5%) and 43 of his 45 extra point attempts for the Colts. But a down year in 2021 and an injury in 2022 caused Blankenship to struggle to the tune of four misses on 19 field goal attempts and two of 13 extra point attempts between the Colts and the Cardinals.
The Cardinals came to an injury settlement with Blankenship in November.
Bucs Kicker Battle Finishes Before Last Preseason Game
Throughout this year’s training camp Blankenship was unable to match McLaughlin during public sessions. That continued into the first two preseason games. In the Bucs preseason opener against the Steelers, Blankenship converted the lone field goal attempt for the Bucs from 35 yards while McLaughlin nailed both of his extra point attempts.
In the Bucs second preseason game Blankenship was 1-3 on his field goal attempts, making a 35-yarder while missing from 55 and 32 yards. Meanwhile McLaughlin made both of his attempts on the night (a field goal attempt of 48 yards and an extra point attempt).
The 32-yard miss felt like the death knell for Blankenship’s hopes for securing the final job and it turns out it was. With Blankenship’s release McLaughlin now looks to have won the job.
For his career McLaughlin has converted 78.8% of his field goal attempts, including 17-21 from 50 yards and beyond.
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