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Bucs' Nugent healthy, ready to compete for kicking job

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By IRA KAUFMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 15, 2009

Mike Nugent

TAMPA - Following a lost season with the New York Jets, Mike Nugent has declared himself healthy and eager to challenge Matt Bryant for Tampa Bay's kicking job in training camp.

Nugent, a second-round pick of the Jets out of Ohio State in 2005, signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers in March as a free agent. At 27, Nugent is six years younger than Bryant, whose career 82.1 percent success rate on field-goal attempts is slightly better than Nugent (81.5 percent).

Nugent has recovered from a torn right quadriceps suffered in New York's 2008 opener. By the time Nugent recuperated late in the season, former Tampa Jesuit High standout Jay Feely had established himself as the Jets' kicker.

"I'm doing well and getting after it,'' said Nugent, who attended Tampa Bay's voluntary practice sessions this week while Bryant declined to participate. "It was tough for me last year. I'd never been hurt before seriously enough to miss a game since I was a little kid. Right after the game, I thought I'd be fine and maybe miss a week. Then we got the MRI back and it just didn't look very good at all.''

Bryant set a franchise record with 131 points last season, converting all 27 of his field-goal tries from inside the 40-yard line.

But Bryant went 0-for-3 from 50 yards or longer in 2008 and is only 2-for-10 from long distance during his seven-year career, although he beat the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006 with a memorable 62-yard kick as time expired.

"The best medicine for a torn muscle is just rest,'' Nugent said. "I did a lot of rehab last season, and it was tough to watch your teammates play so hard and you couldn't do anything to help them.''

Nugent is 3-for-9 from 50 yards or longer in his career and has made 53 of 59 attempts from inside the 40.

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