Why it makes perfect sense for LA Rams to add Brett Maher as their new kicker

Isn't it ironic? After the LA Rams signed two of the best place kickers available from the rookie class of 2023 by agreeing to terms with both North Carolina State kicker Christopher Dunn and Oklahoma State kicker Tanner Brown, the LA Rams' initial 53-man roster showed that the Rams were dissatisfied with both players.

As you see, neither Dunn nor Brown was on the initial 53-man Rams roster.

The LA Rams went through the preseason with rookie kicker Tanner Brown, but ultimately, he would not be the answer at that position. Brown had a disappointing preseason (just 50 percent accuracy on field goals) and was waived by the Rams about 24 hours ago. That left them with no kicker on the roster and forced them to dip into the kicker market to find his replacement.

It's not odd for a rookie kicker to struggle in their first season in the NFL. A game suddenly becomes a job, and the spotlight grows brighter, the stage gets bigger, and the pressure mounts. That is a lot to process for a young man who has moved to a new city and is playing for a new coaching staff and surrounded by new teammates.

Surprisingly, the approach taken by LA Rams new Special Teams Coordinator Chase Blackburn was to load up the roster with rookies. In terms of success, He absolutely crushed it with rookie punter Ethan Evans, and he nailed it with rookie long-snapper Alex Ward. But when it came down to kickers?

Well, two out of three ain't bad . . .

Rams finalizing a deal with ex-Cowboys, ex-Broncos K Brett Maher

There were several options for the kicker position, But the LA Rams have decided to sign K Brett Maher, according to NFL Networks' own Tom Pelissero.

Some background: Maher was most famously known with the Dallas Cowboys for three seasons. He was often a reliable kicker in Dallas until last season when he made headlines, but not in a good way. If you remember, he missed four straight extra points for Dallas in their 31-14 win in the Wild Card round vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While it didn't end well in Dallas, he had another chance to redeem himself to win the starting kicker job in Denver this preseason, but he fell short in that aspect as well, as Denver recently released him. The Rams and Broncos had a joint practice and faced each other in their last preseason game, so maybe the Rams liked what they saw, which led them to take a flyer on him.

Reason III: He is a seasoned veteran who fits the Rams strategy

Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 183 pounds, K Brett Maher is entering his fifth NFL season. While he didn't exactly set the world afire in his first two NFL seasons, everything has begun to click for him since 2021, when his accuracy took a dramatic movement for the better. This season could be his career best.

Reason II: He is readily available

Unlike many other options, Maher has not been mothballed for a year. He has remained engaged and competing with NFL teams, the most recent team being the Denver Broncos. Because he has been actively playing and competing, he falls into a WYSIWYG category - what you see is what you get.

Reason I: He made one helluva impression in Game 3 of the Rams preseason

In the LA Rams final preseason game, it was kicker Brett Maher who had a perfect night for a kicker. He made both field goal attempts, plus booted five of five extra points. Little did he realize that the time that by piling on the point against the Rams, he was successfully auditioning for his next NFL team.

Time will tell if he works out in an LA Rams uniform, but going into Week 1 to face the Seattle Seahawks, veteran Brett Maher will be their guy at the kicker position.