SB Nation - Nathan Hodel

Lions Release Dan Gronkowski, Sign a Long Snapper

Sean Yuille — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:17:16 -0000

Apparently Dominic Raiola will not be handling the Lions' long snapper duties in place of the injured Don Muhlbach, because the team signed LS Nathan Hodel today. The Lions surprisingly released Dan Gronkowski to make room on the roster for Hodel. Gronkowski finally got a chance to play at tight end during a regular season game last Sunday in Baltimore, and I figured he would continue to get more playing time in the final weeks of the season with Casey FitzSimmons now on IR. Apparently that isn't the case, though, because Gronkowski is now off the team.

Perhaps Gronkowski will later return to the team by being signed to the practice squad. That is what happened with Jahi Word-Daniels, who was released earlier this week only to be signed to the practice squad today. Hopefully that's what will happen with Gronkowski as well, because I think he has potential.

Bengals have invited four non-turtle long snappers for a visit this week

Kirkendall — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:41:44 -0000

Here's where we stand with long snappers. Brad St. Louis is going to snap at least one more game; why not give him a last chance in a critical divisional game, makes sense (that's sarcasm). On Tuesday, the Bengals gave Nathan Hodel a look; he left Cincinnati without a reported contract. On Thursday, the Bengals released Geoffrey Pope and signed "The Stuka", Dan Skuta, off the team's practice squad.

This has led to speculation that the Bengals are planning to use that eighth spot for a long snapper. It makes sense. If Shayne Graham and Kevin Huber need work on the timing with a long snapper, then signing a long snapper to the practice squad wouldn't affect your roster. And if Brad St. Louis, who has to be under more pressure than anyone on this squad, falters again, then the Bengals can sign the long snapper off the practice squad and plug him in immediately.

Where they stand now is finding that long snapper.

The Bengals keep bringing them in. Joe Reedy writes:

The Bengals worked out Bryan Pittman and Clark Harris on Thursday. Pittman, who spent the last six seasons with Houston, worked out with the Chargers on Tuesday while Harris played four games with the Texans last year. The team also recently worked out Ryan Neill, who was Buffalo’s long snapper the last two seasons, while Nathan Hodel was in for a visit.

That makes four long snappers the Bengals have worked out this week. My ultimate question is this:

If you're so worried about the long snapper on this team, why would you have the guy that's about to lose his job baked under so much pressure during an important division game?

Brad St. Louis losing his job security; Bengals bring in long snapper Nathan Hodel for a visit

Kirkendall — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:06:41 -0000

Now that eight points were lost on the board, arguably, because of bad snaps this year, the Bengals finally started thawing the do-no-right-be-can't-get-fired file. Even though Brad St. Louis has been with the team before the Marvin Lewis era, the career long-snapper's job security is quickly dwindling. Joe Reedy writes:

It appears that Brad St. Louis has held on to the long snapper job for another week even though the team did bring in Nathan Hodel for a visit.

Other options that the Bengals might consider are JP Darche and Bryan Pittman. Darche spent last season with Kansas City while Pittman, who is supposed to have a tryout with San Diego this week, was with Houston. The Bengals did have college free agent James Smith in during minicamp, but it would be highly doubtful that they would replace a 10-year veteran with a rookie.

Hodel has played in every game with the Arizona Cardinals, dating back to 2002 until this year. In March, the Patriots signed Hodel before cutting him on August 31 (aka, football's versions of the company layout day).

In Bill Belichick we trust

MaPatsFan — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:06:24 -0000

I happened to be listening to one of my favorite morning radio shows, The Hillman Morning Show on WAAF, when the question posed went something like this: Should we blindly follow Bill Belichick, never questioning anything he does? It wasn't as if Greg Hill was questioning his faith. He was simply postulating, poking the bee's nest if you will. Most of the morons that listen to this show called up, spouting their undying and unwavering faith in Hoodie. "Dude, like ya know, how can you question what Bill does, man? Know what I mean?" They sounded a lot like Tommy from Quinzee.

Me? It took me a few seconds to answer, in my head of course, because there was noone in the car with me. Sure, sure I trust Bill. Why are people questioning him? Off the top of my head, Let's run down the list of departures:

OC Josh McDaniels
QB Matt Cassel
OLB Mike Vrabel
WR Jabar Gaffney
LS Lonie Paxton
LB/ST Larry Izzo
FB Heath Evans
RB LaMont Jordan

Did I miss anyone? Anyway, the sky is falling! The place is falling apart! What was Hoodie thinking? Relax. Is there anyone on that list that makes you put your head in your hands, that makes you nervous for the coming season? I thought not. Sure, Matt did a lot for us, but he was going to sit on the bench this year taking up $16.5 million in cap space. Vrabel? Definitely a fan favorite, this one hurt, but Mike is getting on in years and may have lost a step. KC is the place for him; they need leadership and he's the guy to do it. LaMont bummed me out, but Taylor's got that covered. The others? I'm not too worried. So, before you get all concerned, let's move onto the acquisitions:

CB Shawn Springs
CB Leigh Bodden
RB Fred Taylor
WR Greg Lewis
LS Nathan Hodel

So, to run this down, we picked up a vet (Springs) and a possible starter (Bodden) at CB, Taylor fills the gap for the departing Jordan, and LS is a wash as well as WR. We were already carrying three QBs and Brady on IR, so we'll be at three actives, the FB position was rarely used and Russ Hochstein has shown some talent in that area, Adalius Thomas and Pierre Woods will start at OLB with second year man Shawn Crable as backup (may need another OLB there).

By all accounts, we could field a darn good team, a playoff contender, without the draft. Yes folks, you read that right, WITHOUT the draft. Mike Lombardi of the National Football Post had this to say:

The Patriots have a complete team ready to compete in the NFL before the draft. I always felt that you had to attempt to cover your team needs before the draft so that you could enter the draft with the intention of taking the best player. Having the ability to be flexible in the draft allows you to just pick players and not have to worry about waiting for a certain player. The best drafts normally come from having the best offseasons. You enter the draft room with a sense of peace and know that if the chips don’t fall your way, your team can still go out and compete.

Lombardi knows football, so I trust his opinion. Belichick is now drafting from a position of strength. He's not desperate for anyone or any position, not biting his fingernails hoping, like a gambler at a blackjack table, that the cards will fall a certain way so he can make his mortgage payment this month. Belichick has managed some very clever transactions and has done so while leaving room to pickup up depth with one first rounder, a high second rounder, and two other second rounders. If you've followed Belichick long enough you know he's all about value, so the three second rounders are just his style.

Yes my friends, in Bill Belichick we trust. If Coach can take a banged up 2008 Patriots to the brink of an AFC title, just imagine what he'll do with his starting quarterback back under center, a solid secondary, and a well rested team. Just imagine...

Arizona Cardinals Sign Long Snapper Mike Leach

Hawkwind — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:23:55 -0000

According to multiple sources the Arizona Cardinals have signed long snapper Mike Leach (no not the Texas Tech head football coach), formerly of the Denver Broncos. Leach had been with the Broncos for the past 6 1/2 seasons but requested his release after they signed a new snapper this off season. It being reported as a 3 year deal but terms haven't been disclosed yet.

Mike Leach

#83 / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-2

Weight: 240

Born: Oct 18, 1976

College:

If more details become available we'll pass them along, but the bottom line is that they filled the hole left by the release of Nathan Hodel (who signed with the Patriots yesterday).