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Baltimore Ravens Extending Sam Koch Keeps Special Teams Dangerous

By Phil Naegely

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The Baltimore Ravens have checked another item off their list headed into training camp by extending punter Sam Koch’s contract long-term. The reliable, consistent punter is an asset to the Ravens team and the AFC North favorites couldn’t afford to lose him.

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Unlike what many have said, the Ravens didn’t overpay or give Koch an exorbitant contract he didn’t deserve or earn. The five-year, 16.25 million dollar deal (seven million guaranteed) makes Koch one of the highest paid NFL punters, but as the Baltimore Sun points out, “Koch isn’t the one of the league’s five-highest paid punters in terms of average salary per year.” Koch’s average salary is a tad north of three million dollars a year and doesn’t break the bank. Also it doesn’t take up a majority of the Ravens’ cap space, which is something the Ravens need to keep an eye on after the 2015 season.

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Koch’s production and accuracy for the Ravens earned him this long-term deal. In 2014 Koch led the league with a 43.3-yard net punting average. On top of that, Koch was critical to the Ravens holding on to defeat the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII in 2012. He took a safety in his own end zone after killing of a decent amount of the clock and in the waning moments of the game boomed a 60-yard punt that kept the 49ers out of field goal range. Basically Koch has been an effective punter since the Ravens signed him in 2006.

In addition to punting the football well and far, Koch also holds the football on field goal and extra point attempts. He’s been key to Justin Tucker finding success with the Ravens; many of Tucker’s long field goal attempts have lead to the game-winning score and Tucker is one of the most accurate NFL kickers. Koch and Tucker have been a dynamic duo during their respective tenures. Tucker hasn’t been around as long as Koch, but both are valuable players in roles that don’t always get the credit; they, kickers and punters, only get blamed if they screw up and lose the game.

While offensive and defensive players will come and go for the Ravens just like this off-season, it’s good to see the Ravens take securing their punter long-term seriously. The output from their punter wouldn’t have been the same if they let Koch walk and they drafted a young punter in the sixth or seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Instead, they keep one of their most reliable players in time and he’s a leader on the team that many young players can look up to as the Ravens progress through the 2015 NFL season.

As a result, the Ravens’ special teams remains dangerous and the team’s strength headed into 2015. Thus, the prowess of the special teams will take pressure off the offense and defense and allow the entire team to find success throughout the regular season. With Tucker kicking the ball from 50 and 60 yards out, and Koch regularly pinning the Ravens’ opponents in their own territory and even inside their 20-yard line, the Ravens are as dangerous as ever with less than a month before trainingcCamp ensues.

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