GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Tim Masthay hit one of those kicks, the kind that you know is bad as soon as it came off his foot, during practice this week. He walked off the field shaking his head in disgust.
But at no time did the Green Bay Packers punter think, "Here we go again."
"I was just mad on that last one because I knew it was the last punt I was hitting in practice," Masthay said shortly afterward. "So I knew I wasn't going to get to bounce back from it. Usually I'm just focused on the next rep, so I was frustrated knowing there was not a next rep."
In other years, one shaky kick might not have even registered on the list of things worth noting from an early June organized team activities practice. But considering how Masthay finished last season and with the addition this offseason of another punter, Cody Mandell, it was at the very least a reminder that for the first time since he won the job in 2010, Masthay is in a legitimate competition for his job.
Masthay finished with a career-low 37.0-yard net punting averaging last season. Halfway through the year, however, nothing appeared amiss. His net average at that time was 41.4 yards, which ranked 10th in the league. That would have obliterated his career mark of 39.0 yards from 2013, when he set a franchise record for net punting average. Each year, Masthay improved and set the franchise net punting record in 2010 (37.6), 2011 (38.6), 2012 (38.9) and 2013 (39.0).
But over the last half of 2014, he averaged just 32.95 net yards per punt, which ranked 31st in the league in that stretch, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Perhaps it didn't help that Masthay had two games last season in which he didn't have to punt at all. Also, the late-season cold weather in Green Bay always lowers kicking statistics.
Neither factor, however, can fully account for the drop off.
"There's a lot of reasons. Who knows why?" said new special teams coordinator Ron Zook, who was promoted this offseason after Shawn Slocum was fired. "He got in a little rut last year. I think part of it was we went through two games where we didn't punt the football. I don't know that that's ever happened. You say, well, you warm up during the game and you do all of that stuff, but actually going out there and punting the football in the game, you can get out of your sync a little bit there and your rhythm."
The Packers are quietly optimistic that Masthay will revert to the form of his first four-and-a-half years, but they're not taking any chances. That's where Mandell comes in. He went to training camp with the Dallas Cowboys last summer and signed with the Packers as a street free agent early this offseason. So far, he has shown signs of a strong leg.
Perhaps Mandell will have the same impact on Masthay that Giorgio Tavecchio had on kicker Mason Crosby two years ago. Crosby was coming off his worst season, and the Packers brought in Tavecchio as competition. Crosby not only won back his job but proceeded to have his best season in 2013.
"Anytime you're competing, anytime another guy is right next to you, my main focus -- and I can tell Tim’s doing the same thing -- is just really focus in on your details, the things that you can control, the things you do well," Crosby said. "If anything, it makes you dive in and look at some things a little closer. It can be extremely positive.
"If you take the right approach -- and I know Tim will because he's such a detailed guy, he works hard and he’s extremely good at what he does -- he's going to hone those skills even more. I feel thankful every day that I had that."
