Arryn Siposs did a good enough job punting the ball in training camp to warrant a return to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Sort of. He was never put on the 53-man roster but released and then added back to the practice squad. After two elevations and mixed results, he’s done completely.
The Eagles released their punter of three seasons from the practice squad. Former New York Jets punter Brendan Mann takes his place.
“We thought that Arryn did a good job in training camp and was growing, so we felt like we were ready to go into the season with Arryn in there,” said head coach Nick Sirianni on Monday, as his 2-0 team begins to ramp up preparations for a Week 3 visit to Tampa to play the 2-0 Buccaneers.
“After two weeks, we decided we wanted to make a change. Arryn has been a great teammate to his teammates. He's been spot-on as a holder. Right now, at this particular time, we just thought what was in the best interest for the team was to move forward with Braden.”
Siposs’s outing against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night may have been the final straw for him. He punted four times but had only an average of 37.5 yards with a net of a measly 32.8. Siposs did, however, put two balls inside the 20-yard line in the 34-28 win.
However, losing Siposs the punter is also losing Siposs the holder, and kicker Jake Elliott has gotten off to a strong start. He made four field goals in the season-opening win over the New England Patriots and was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Against the Vikings, he tied his career-high with a 61-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
It’s a delicate balance between long snapper, holder, and kicker, but the Eagles believe Mann can do it.
“Right now, at this particular time, we just thought what was in the best interest for the team was to move forward with Braden,” said Sirianni. “Obviously, Braden has tape out there that we paid a lot of attention to, which got him to where we brought him into punt. We liked his punts when he was here, and his holds and everything, so we were confident in the decision for that to happen now.
“We have a little bit of a longer week to make sure the operation is clean, and so that's why it is the way it is right now.”
A former sixth-round pick of the Jets in 2020 out of Texas A&M, Mann punted 83 times last year with a 46.9 yards per punt average and a 40.8 net with 27 punts inside the 20. By comparison, Siposs averaged 44.6 per punt with a 38.7 net and 20 punts inside the 20 a season ago.
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