The Los Angeles Rams have extended an incredible offer to Brett Maher, as he accepts to return to his position as a kicker.
A few Rams reserves will get the chance to demonstrate their abilities in a starting role on Sunday in Santa Clara.
However, a new face—technically, a returning member of the team—will showcase his skills as the team’s starting kicker, a role he held from the beginning of the season.
After participating in all seven of the team’s games this season, veteran kicker Brett Maher signed a contract with the Rams this past week, marking his second stay in Los Angeles.
Maher converted 12 of 13 extra-point attempts and 17 of 23 field goals in those seven games. Of those six misses, however, four were from more than 50 yards out, and one attempt was blocked.
This week, Rams coach Sean McVay stated that Maher was put in difficult situations by the team early in the season because of those extended field goal attempts. He placed the responsibility to place Maher in more favorable situations on himself and the coaching staff.
When I look back on it, there were many instances where, if I’m being really honest with myself, you’re saying that those are difficult situations to put anybody in given the number of attempts from more than fifty, McVay remarked. “We need to bring him back in here and we’ll get him going. He was pretty consistent when it came to some of those field goals from under 50 and in.”
Maher was able to get a roster spot after the Rams waived rookie kicker Lucas Havrisik.
Following his midseason arrival, Havrisik had some memorable moments, such as the game-winning performance against Seattle that set off the Rams’ remarkable comeback. However, he has not been playing well lately. Against the New York Giants last week, he missed two of his last seven field goal attempts and two extra-point attempts.
Maher, who has appeared in four postseason games for the Dallas Cowboys, was brought back in large part because McVay emphasized the value of experience at the position.
McVay stated, “I wanted to get somebody in here that had some experience because I think getting into the playoffs definitely changes a little bit of the dialogue in regard to what we know coming down the pipe.” “I was happy with Brett’s return because he has a lot of big-time game experience.”
Maher has had difficulty in large games in the past, despite his experience. He only converted one of his six extra-point attempts in two postseason games during his previous season with the Cowboys, missing four in a single game.
Nevertheless, he did convert both of his field goals from 25 and 43 yards out during the playoffs last year.
This week, Maher has been practicing to get back up to speed at the Thousand Oaks training facility, which experiences its fair share of strong winds.
