Michael Koenen is a punter and punters usually don't get paid as well as their NFL brethren. The former Atlanta Falcons special teamer may have set a new precedent, however, following his free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
NFL Free Agency: Punter Michael Koenen Gets $19 Million From Bucs
Koenen has shown exactly how NFL free agency can still be ridiculous following the new Collective Bargaining Agreement by signing a six-year, $19.5 million deal with the Buccaneers. It probably isn’t the largest salary a punter has ever been given, but those reporting the deal seem quite surprised, especially becuase Koenen’s new contract also comes with a $6.5 million guarantee.
None of this is to say that Koenen isn’t a good punter because, by nearly all measures, he is good at what he does.
In his six seasons with the Falcons, he averaged an even 42 yards per punt with a personal record of 70 during the 2009 season. He’s also tried his hand at kicking field goals in the past, hitting a rather unimpressive 4-of-13 in his career.
Either way, punters getting paid is a precarious precedent.
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