Surprise! LA Rams could do-over and sign FA P Corey Bojorquez

Do you believe in second chances? A mulligan in the real world? The LA Rams seem to be believers. After the team had an impromptu punting competition before the 2021 NFL season got underway between veteran punter Johnny Hekker and newcomer Corey Bojorquez, it appeared that Bojorquez had won the right to start for the LA Rams, particularly in a spectacular punting display in the final preseason game that was textbook perfect.

Days later? The LA Rams reportedly negotiated salary concessions from Hekker and subsequently traded Bojorquez to the Green Bay Packers for next to nothing. The LA Rams proceeded to a 12-5 season, and then went on a four-game winning streak to win Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. In the process, long-time veteran punter Johnny Hekker earned his Super Bowl ring with the LA Rams.

But that was then, this is now. Now, the LA Rams needed to save money, and squeezing $2 million out of the punter position seems like a good option for the Rams this year.

Of course, releasing a punter means replacing him with a new punter. It seems a shame to go through all those hoops of tryouts for a punter just a year after the team had gone through a similar exercise the year before.  If only the Rams could sign Corey Bojorquez…

Bring Bojorquez back

Well, why not? Right now, Bojorquez is an unrestricted free agent, having played one season with the Green Bay Packers. While he lost the competition to Johnny Hekker a year ago, based on my score sheet, he outright won that competition hands down. It seemed as though he never really stood a chance, as the team went with veteran Hekker despite the results of directly competing with Bojorquez.

Ah, but now back to that do-over we discussed earlier. That mulligan. Bojorquez is a free agent, and the LA Rams are shopping for punters. It would make sense for the team to forego using a precious draft pick in hopes of finding a punter, and just sign up a player they are already quite familiar with and one they had vetted extensively just one short year ago.

Bring Bojorquez back? Why not. The LA Rams have more urgent positions on the roster to address, and signing Bojorquez to a $1.0-1.5 million per year deal still cuts the cost at the punter position by a material amount.