http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2791752 Feely, Dolphins agree to three-year dealBy Len Pasquarelli The Miami Dolphins have reached a contract agreement with unrestricted free agent kicker Jay Feely, a move that will end the 10-year tenure of Olindo Mare with the team. Feely Arguably the top kicker in the free agent market, Feely will sign a three-year, $6 million contract that includes $2.5 million in guarantees. Feely, 30, was also pursued by Atlanta and Kansas City over the past week. Mare was due a roster bonus of $250,000 this month and was scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.5 million for 2006. Those finances and his inconsistencies of the past two seasons combined to make him vulnerable in the offseason; it was hardly a secret Miami officials were seeking a replacement. In his 10 seasons with the Dolphins, Mare, 33, scored 1,048 points and went over the 100-point mark in six different seasons. He converted 245 of 303 field goal attempts and 313 of 318 extra points. Feely played the past two seasons with the New York Giants after spending the first four years of his career with the Falcons. In New York, he made 58 of 69 field goal tries and had 24 touchbacks on kickoffs. His departure leaves the Giants without a proven kicker. The former University of Michigan standout, signed by Atlanta as an undrafted free agent in 2001, has converted 156 of 196 field goal attempts for his career and all but two of his 225 extra point tries. He has four seasons of 100-plus points, including a career best of 148 points in 2005, and 691 points for his career. Feely has a powerful leg as evidenced by his career average of 63.6 yards on kickoffs and 67 touchbacks.
They wouldn't pay him what he thought he was worth, from what I understand. http://www.nypost.com/seven/0228200...tens_to_leave_giants_giants_paul_schwartz.htm By PAUL SCHWARTZ February 28, 2007 -- The start of NFL free agency comes Friday and Jay Feely is sure of one thing: He's headed to the open market. "I'm definitely headed to free agency," the Giants kicker told The Post yesterday from his Michigan home. "There's no doubt in my mind. That doesn't mean I'm not going to be a Giant." Feely the past two years performed well for the Giants and he strongly wants to return. He just doesn't know if it will make financial sense for him to do so. Attempts last season at putting together a contract extension never resulted in a new deal, and the offer the Giants have on the table is far below what Feely considers market rate. Three veteran kickers - the Rams' Jeff Wilkins, Buffalo's Rian Lindell and Ryan Longwell of the Vikings- essentially have the same contract: five years, $10 million with a signing bonus (or guaranteed money) totaling about $3 million. If the Giants presented Feely with those numbers, he'd sign today. Thus far, Feely said, the Giants' offer is "nowhere near that." Following the season, Feely said he had productive talks with coach Tom Coughlin and first-year GM Jerry Reese, but talk and action are two different things. "At some point, they have to say they want me," Feely said. Already, Feely, 30, is sizing up the competition. He noted that of the seven kickers at the NFL Scouting Combine, only one reached the end zone on a kickoff. As for veterans, the kicker with the most impressive pedigree, Seattle's Josh Brown, will not hit the market, as he's been designated the franchise player by the Seahawks. That was a fortuitous move for Feely, who now is the most accomplished kicker soon-to-be available. With the Giants, Feely was 58 of 69 on field goals for 255 points in his two seasons. "This is the first time I've been able to go into free agency coming off the two best years of my career," Feely said. "I've got some power, or whatever you want to call it." Teams likely in need of a kicker include the Falcons, Cowboys, Dolphins and Chiefs.
Stooopid Giantz :lol: Let's see how many games they lose next year cause their ST will suck! ala the Cowboys K situation.
i liked feely...oh well.. Once Mare got the money he wanted, his kicking went downhill fast...i can only hope the same for feely...
How can Feely be considered having a powerful leg? He's 6 of 16 from 50+ yards in his career........ Although, he can kickoff pretty well though.......
That's idiotic b/c feely bounced back showing tremendous mental toughness which obviously good K's need. Miami definitely upgraded at K as Mare was on the decline.
Jets should try and pick him up for minimum to just kick off. He did have 26 touchbacks last year on kickoffs. I don't recall Nugent hitting the endzone much. He also has a good relationship with Westoff. Just a thought.
