The New Orleans Saints bid farewell to veteran kicker Wil Lutz after his seven-season tenure. This decision was cemented as Lutz, a mainstay for the Saints, lost out in a training camp competition to rookie Blake Grupe.
While it might be too strong to assert that Lutz outright “lost” the battle, his agent, John Perla, minced no words in expressing his disagreement with the Saints’ move. Perla claimed that the Saints’ choice to part ways with Lutz was a misstep and emphasized that the player retained his abilities despite the outcome of the competition. Perla conveyed to the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, “The better player is not the one who is left on the Saints’ roster, I’ll tell you that.”
When John Perla, agent for new #Broncos kicker Wil Lutz, was asked about Lutz losing Saints job to Blake Grupe, he said, “He didn’t lose his job. The Saints just made a poor decision. The better player is not the one who is left on the Saints’ roster, I’ll tell you that.”
This development carries a sense of unexpectedness, yet not without some foreshadowing. Lutz, who exhibited exceptional accuracy throughout his initial five seasons in the NFL (2016-20), faced struggles in 2022, which likely prompted the Saints’ decision to introduce competition. Having missed the entirety of the 2021 season due to injury, Lutz’s return last year yielded a mere 74.2% success rate in field goals, ranking as the second lowest amongst kickers attempting at least 10 kicks.
Conversely, the spotlight now turns to Blake Grupe, an unproven undrafted free agent. Grupe’s collegiate career saw him split time between Arkansas State (2017-21) and Notre Dame (2022). However, his single year with Notre Dame only resulted in a 73.7% field goal success rate, converting 14 of 19 attempts.
In a candid statement on Monday, Lutz voiced confidence in his performance during training camp, indicating that he believed he had outshone Grupe. The adjustment to the outcome appears to have left him disappointed, but his transition to the Denver Broncos under the guidance of familiar mentor Sean Payton provides a silver lining.
Lutz’s association with Payton spans six years during his tenure with the Saints, fostering a strong rapport between the two. Furthermore, Lutz’s move to Denver offers the advantage of kicking in an environment known for its favorable conditions for kickers, courtesy of the high-altitude air that aids in extending kick distances.
