Is it necessary to...

Amen - if it were that easy, you'd have a huge pool of kickers. Watch Kasay at practice sometime. The other guys are out there scrimmaging etc and Kasay is riding the stationary bike. I'm not saying he doesn't have to work at all, but his daily workout isn't as physical as the rest of the guys. So if you could become a good kicker and be in demand and make pretty good $$ (certainly not what QBs & WRs etc make but still good $$) why wouldn't a LOT of guys do it?

 

Actually Atlanta appears set to use Michael Koenen to punt and kick this year. That'll be interesting. A couple of kickers have also been occasionally used as punters, but I can't recall any other punters that then assumed the kicking duties.

 

That hasn't been done since the early 80's, I believe. Tennessee uses Henrich on long-range kicks, but that's the only other one I can think of. Obviously, we used Sauerbrun in '04, but that wasn't by choice.

 

they do. It's just not their specialty. Both "can" do either, though due to range kickers generally pooch punt. Either "can" kick off, but some P aren't good at it. I'm sure, physically, anybody who can spiral a football can technically snap, but there's a general size idea and certainly a consistency issue.

I've argued at times in the past that there's gotta be someone in the league at S, OLB, etc who has to have the leg strength to be able to boot a ball to the endzone on kickoffs, but honestly, when it comes down to it, you generally have two guys with the skill and nothing better to do otherwise.

 

I believe Jason Elam was a punter in college and there was some talk of having him do both, but the Broncos never got around to it.

 

Except for Reggie Roby, and I guess Sauerbrun now, punters are usually fairly slim. Got be be real flexible to get the extension on that leg. I'm just guessing here, but I bet most football players would be too stout. Kickers may be the same.

 

not all of them have Sauerbrun's "build", but a lot of them are tall and fair sized like Baker. Rouen was big, too. But that's a good point, most non DB/WR are probably going to be way too stocky.

 

Guys kicking and playing too bring Pat Summerall to mind.

 

I saw a movie once where they used a mule that would kick field goals.

 

Damn I remember that too. Anybody remeber "Flubber"? We should sign Fred MacMurray.