Is Chase McLaughlin The Bucs’ Kicker Of The Future?

It’s no secret that the Bucs have had trouble with finding a consistent kicker. Before Ryan Succop handled the kicking duties the last three years the team had gone through 11 kickers since 2009. Tampa Bay signed several free agents that didn’t pan out, in addition to investing draft picks in two kickers, Roberto Aguayo and Matt Gay, until they signed Succop in 2020. 

Succop brought a level of consistency during his tenure with the Bucs making 84 of his 99 field goal attempts. In 2020, he set the franchise record for points scored in a season en route to helping Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV. Yet Succop, who was 36 last year, struggled with kicks from beyond 40 yards. That and a reasonably high salary cap hit ultimately led to his release from the team.

To replace him the Bucs brought in former Colts kicker Chase McLaughlin. However, the team didn’t just award him the starting job. The Bucs signed another former Colt in Rodrigo Blankenship to compete with McLaughlin for the starting spot. McLaughlin had a resume of being able to hit the long kicks but struggled with consistency in the short game. Blankenship’s resume was just the opposite. 

Chase McLaughlin’s Perfect Preseason Earned Him Bucs’ Kicking Duties

Through a month-long training camp battle both Chase McLaughlin and Rodrigo Blankenship had their hits and a few misses. But when the lights came on during the preseason McLaughlin rose to the occasion. He made both his extra point attempts in the opener against Pittsburgh. McLaughlin followed that up with a made extra point as well as a field goal from 48 yards out against the Jets.

In that same Jets game, Blankenship missed two field goals and was subsequently released with McLaughin winning the Bucs’ kicking battle.