The Los Angeles Rams were able to address their issues at kicker by taking Samuel Sloman in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The departure of kicker Greg Zuerlein in free agency has left a rather notable void on special teams. Sloman will be competing with former XFL kicker Austin MacGinnis and former CFL kicker Lirim Hajrullahu for the job this offseason.
It is safe to say that Zuerlein’s successor will have some big shoes to fill after establishing himself as one of the more high-profile legs in the league. Fortunately, Sloman is optimistic that he is up to the task.
Sloman is happy to receive the vote of confidence from the Rams after getting drafted and is excited to compete for the job, via Stu Jackson of the team’s official website:
“I mean, it meant everything,” Sloman said on a video conference Saturday. “Everybody hopes to get their name called. Through this process, we talked about putting ourselves in the best situation and the Rams were one of those teams. It just meant the world. I’m excited for the opportunity to come in and compete for a wide-open job. I’m excited for that.”
Sloman seems to be well aware of the expectations that come with replacing Zuerlien:
“I just got to go out there and do my job,” Sloman said. “Greg Zuerlein was a lot of fun to watch, I love watching him kick the ball. So, I think it’s pretty cool to get the opportunity to try follow in his footsteps.”
Sloman already has a big connection to the Rams’ in coaching staff in Sean McVay as a fellow Miami (Ohio) alum. Although the restrictions placed by the NFL in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have prevented him from showing off more of his leg in person, he has been steady putting in work at McVay’s old stomping grounds.
Like Zuerlein, Sloman is a heavy-footed kicker that is capable of powering through unfavorable weather conditions. More importantly, he showed notable improvement in his long-range accuracy by going 4-of-5 from 50-plus yards during the 2019 campaign.
Regardless, it is important that Sloman displays the kind of consistency that McVay and new special teams coordinator John Bonamego are striving for in the 2020 NFL season. It will be interesting to see if the rookie becomes the newest piece of the Pro Bowl trio that includes punter Johnny Hekker and long snapper Jake McQuaide.
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