Kicker Jay Feely released by Dolphins

Jay Feely, who was arguably the Dolphins most consistent performer in 2007, will not be with the team in 2008.

This morning Feely was called in by the Dolphins braintrust and released, according to a source.

Feely confirmed the release on a local radio and in conversations with local reporters, which he called to volunteer the information. That very move is one small reason the Dolphins had Feely on a very short leash. Bill Parcells hated the fact Feeley was so media friendly.

But Parcells also hated that Feely wasn't great with his kickoffs last year that problem coupled with the player's injury the past 10 days or so spelled the end. Feely missed practices and the first preseason game with a groin injury.

In Feely's absence, rookie Dan Carpenter won the job with Miami. Carpenter connected on field goals of 41 and 49 yards during the preseason-opener against Tampa Bay.

I cannot stress enough the focus the Dolphins are now putting on not losing hidden yardage in games. Last season, for example, special teams assistant Keith Armstrong bemoaned the fact that in one game alone, Feely's low and short kickoffs cost the Dolphins 80 yards of field position. Armstrong would not say what game that was, but the statistic was startling.

The Dolphins were not good enough then and are still not good enough now to recover from that kind of field position liability. I assume the team believes Carpenter will be better on kickoffs. Against Tampa Bay, he had three kickoffs and none were in the end zone.

So Feely, 32, is a free agent. Wouldn't be surprised if he ends up with Tampa Bay or New Orleans. Last year Feely connected on 21 of 23 field goals.

So the Dolphins say good-bye to another vet. And this blog loses a loyal reader.

Comments

[flpd]

Mando, once Parcells said there would be "a competition" you had to understand that Feeley was dead man walking. You don't bring in a rookie to compete with an accomplished vet and call it a straight-up competition unless there is something behind it. Maybe it's my nature to suspect things, but I saw this.

[Jonathan]

Wao; great work Armando, I'm surprised that they took this decision so fast after just one game, and not get anything for this guy, but hell they know much more than I do.

[DaveinOhio]

wow, I cant say I sall that coming. I thought he was doing good on kickoffs during camp. I thought with the injury he might fall behind... but cut so soon? wow

[Eddie]

Feely was decent but not worth the salary he received as a free agent. Jay's hang time on kickoffs was a liability as well. Good Luck Jay.

[Flint]

Waste of space writing about a kicker. It would be a big deal if it was a real player.

[NHFINSFAN]

We only need one kicker and Dan is the man!

[Dr. Vinny Babooner, Ph.D.]

JUST GREAT. BRILLIANT MOVE. THEY'RE GETTING RID OF ONE OF THE ONLY PLAYERS WHO SCORED MORE THAN 10 POINTS DURING THE ENTIRE LAST SEASON.

[SAVE_US.Y2J]

Good move. I like Dan Carpenter, and I think he'll be a very good kicker for the Miami Dolphins.

[edswood]

Jay thanks for being one of the few bright spots on the team last year. I always enjoyed his appearances on Cold Pizza. The fact that he was an intelligent, articulate, opinionated person definitely meant he would be cut by the Trifecta. He spoke in more than one syllable which was confusing Sparano who is used to grunting. It was also obvious that Parcells never likes paying big bucks for a kicker. He would much rather give that to a slow butterfinger receiver (ahem thats you Wilford). Anyways, sorry you lost a source and friend Mando. Good luck to Feeley, I am sure he will catch on somewhere, before eventually joining ESPN full-time.

[Frank]

Ah, his name is spelled "Feely" not "Feeley".

[you suck]

How many times can you misspell F-E-E-L-Y? It's not like you cover the team for a living, or anything.

[joe shanahan]

feely said the team tried to trade him and could get any takers? i feel like we could have got something for him- teams are always looking for consistent kickers.... he was our best weapon last year and extremely personable and friendly to everyone after the bengals game last year

jay- best of luck- both on the field and in your future spot at ESPN...

sorry ann arbor is still a wh*re.... go bucks

[joe shanahan]

(COULDNT get any takers)

[Jon]

Feeley came in and did everything we could have asked of him (at least in terms of splitting the uprights). He seemed a real good guy to boot. Even if you think the move makes sense, I hope we can all wish him well.

I can only trust that they've seen enough of Carpenter to know he someone to count on. When the basic math in your offense is 3 and 1/3 times three = first down, you have to have someone to take the three points when you get the chance.

[Manuel]

I don't understand, we et a 6th rounder for Mare coming of an awfull season and we cannot get anything for Feeley coming of a carrer year.

This doesn't speak well of the trifecta negotiating, consider they couldn't trade the 1st overall pick, they pay more than they should for Wilford and McCown (both of them worthless so far) they get nothing for Zack Thomas and now this, good thing that the draft looks good.

[Mike]

Hey Flint,about your comment:

'Waste of space writing about a kicker. It would be a big deal if it was a real player.'

Do you realize Olindo Mare, who apparently isn't a real player, is the Dolphins all time leading point scorer? How bout Adam Vinitari (sp?) - He won 2 super bowls for the Pats. Never underestimate the kicker. Its a low profile - high pressure position that can screw you if its don wrong, and win games when done right.

[crimsonblack]

Parcel has never believed in paying a lot for a kicker. Beyond being overly friendly to the media (which means Feeley doesn't keep information inside the clubhouse) he's overpaid in Parcel's eyes. Now the guy is injured when he a kicker. We haven't even got into the preseason and he's hurt. You aren't going to get much for a guy making that kind of money and has been hurt the entire training camp and can't keep his mouth shut. Cya.

[Xpensive Wino]

Yeah, come on........a kicker who's injured and can't kick. With 80 man rosters, how many teams are beating down the Dolphins door for one of those? Not to mention, this team has to have someone who can kick the ball in the end zone. Field position is this team's 12th man.

[thecoalitionagainstpositionbias]

Kickers! It's not like you'll every hear the vice president of football operations say that he can win with a kicker...punter on the other hand, that's a real player.

Fields rules !!!

[Chris J. Nelson]

Carpenter better freaking be good.

[fromthecape]

5 kick-offs? I might be wrong, but wasn't there only 3 kick-offs? 1 after half-time and 1 each after the 2 field goals. All 3 were between the 10 and goal.

[Fantus]

I liked Feeley. Was a clutch kicker. But field position is key, and the trifecta DEMANDS everyone is on the same page. On the field and off the field.

I don't feel bad for Jay. He will catch on with another team quickly.

[Ms Taylor Payne]

Is there a chance he may just retire?He's only been in the league 7 seasons but still. I like him but how many teams has he played for? Good luck to him though.

[lacesoutdan]

We cut last year's most accurate kicker because of kickoffs? Has anyone noticed that Dan Carpenter sucks at kickoffs? This is real stupid.

[cappy]

Here is the math:

2008: Feeley would have made $850k, Carp $295k
2009: Feeley would have made $1,075k, Carp $370k

Total savings $1,260k over the next 2yrs.

[Matt in NC]

Told you guys last year that Feely's short kickoffs hurt the team more than Mare's FG %.

[Montana Phil Sidney Montana]

As a Montana Grizzlies alumni and fan and a life-long Dolphins fan I'm here to tell you that Dan carpenter will be a fine addition to the Fins on many levels. For starters he's the all-time FCS (1-AA) best kicker with most points scored and most field goals. In college at Montana he proved he can kick in any weather condition and made 4 field goals of 50-plus yards. His longest kick in college was 54 yards. He's played in pressure-packed games having played in the FCS playoffs every year he was in college. Dan is a kid from a small town in Montana and is hungry to be an NFL player. He has great hang time on his kickoffs and although he might not pound it 2 or 3 yards deep in the endzone he will consistently put it inside the 5-yard line with plenty of hang time to allow our tacklers to get in excellent position to cover the kickoffs. Our new rookie kicker will also be paid significantly less than Feely. I couldn't be happier.

[Ken]

Hey lacesoutdan carp kicks deeper than Feely, and directional. You suck!!!!!!!!!!

[PT]

Feely was a great guy and I hope him the best. I was shocked Parcells didn't try to trade but he was injured and costs a lot. Thats a harder sell. Oh well, the Rook does look good.

[cappy]

Carpenter also had 71 punts for a 41.8 avg in college.

[peauxrouge]

lacesoutdan, keep in mind that for the UM last year Carpenter often kicked into the endzone or out of the endzone consistently. That's important considering last year they kicked from the same yard line the pros do. His leg is fine, he is good at kickoffs and is likely kicking short some times as per coach instruction, possible for more hang time or kicking away from someone. I don't know about Feely, but Dan is also a great athlete who can lay a lick on someone if needed, not a duck and cover kicker.

[Matt]

Manuel-

Perhaps the Saints suck at negotiating considering we received a 6th rounder from them for a beyond his prime kicker like Mare'.

[Anthony DiCesare]

Good luck JF.

[oscar_g]

Forget the kicker already.

There is much more to address on this team than worrying about a kicker.

[Sohail]

I'd like to underscore edswoods...

Feely was a great kicker and a bright, smart guy that would have helped the Dolphins' players as their representative. I liked him and I think it's a real risky move banking on an unproven rookie that barely squeaked in a FG and knocked in a single 41 yarder in one damned game.

Good luck to Carpenter, if he doesn't do well and make up for the lack of leg that Feely had on kickoffs...I'll really question if this moved was performance based or just bureaucratic politics.

[Bob]

Glad to see Mr.Feely go.Rarely got the ball into the endzone on kickoffs.Opposing teams usually started from the 30-50 yard line and were 1 or 2 passes away from field goal range against a Dolphin defense that was terrible or weak at best.
If he could pin them in the endzone and start them at the twenty then he's great.Instead you have to subtract the field goals he was giving away,due to field position,from the ones he actually made and he's at about a 75% field goal average.
I have know idea what this year's Dolphin defense is going to be like but they need a guy who can kickoff into the endzone and buy them the extra yards to stop the opposing offense.
Thats more important over the year than a guy going perfect on FG's and Mr.Feely wasn't all of a sudden going to start kicking the ball further.
He's a nice guy,but see ya bye.

[ParcellsCampFollower]

When I heard Parcells was coming I knew bad Feely-ngs was road kill. Parcells wants one thing from kickoffs - hang time. Parcells hates line drive kickoffs unless they are always thru the end zone. He also believes that special teams are the quickest imrpovement you can make...which means improved field position...which means a better shot at winning.

[Chip Ray]

Feely is a proven vet with a great record. You can't deny the facts.

His K.O. were excellent his entire career until he was ordered by Cam to kick pooch kicks to the 20 all season last year (a fact you conveniently left out, Mando. If you don't know how to find the real stats I'll be glad to show you.)

The Dolphins sent him packing just like the other four captains from last year's team (Trent Green, Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor and Jay Feely), but for reason having nothing to do with his abilities as a player.

First and foremost is because Steve Hoffman (the Dolphins kicking coach) needs a young player he can coach rather than a vet, in order to justify having a job. Kicking coaches are virtually non-existent in the NFL, except for the Dolphins. The crap by Sparano about we charted their kicks and Carpenter charted better (even though Feely was out due to a groin injury) is transparent BS. Parcells has always hated kickers and can't stomach a kicker being a team leader or a team spokesman in the media, which is why he was motivated to get rid of Feely from the get-go.

Notice they did not bring in any competition for Brandon Fields who is a young and sometimes struggling punter despite the BS about "there will be competition at every position". Sparano is nothing more than a puppet for Parcells. He will lie and keep a straight face. He never felt comfortable with Feely around because he was unable to comprehend the vocabulary Feely used. Saprano does not know any words with more than four letters.

[tricks]

Well, i think his days are gone, and it is the perfect time to retire, by the way the Dolphins had a pretty good season, they have made tremendous improvements, it was a C+ overall.