Brad St. Louis losing his job security; Bengals bring in long snapper Nathan Hodel for a visit

by Josh Kirkendall on Oct 6, 2009 10:06 PM EDT in Free Agency Visits

Now that eight points were lost on the board, arguably, because of bad snaps this year, the Bengals finally started thawing the do-no-right-be-can't-get-fired file. Even though Brad St. Louis has been with the team before the Marvin Lewis era, the career long-snapper's job security is quickly dwindling. Joe Reedy writes:

It appears that Brad St. Louis has held on to the long snapper job for another week even though the team did bring in Nathan Hodel for a visit.

Other options that the Bengals might consider are JP Darche and Bryan Pittman. Darche spent last season with Kansas City while Pittman, who is supposed to have a tryout with San Diego this week, was with Houston. The Bengals did have college free agent James Smith in during minicamp, but it would be highly doubtful that they would replace a 10-year veteran with a rookie.

Hodel has played in every game with the Arizona Cardinals, dating back to 2002 until this year. In March, the Patriots signed Hodel before cutting him on August 31 (aka, football's versions of the company layout day).

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ok

I may be grossly oversimplifying this, but does this really have to be a specialist? I mean, can we not save a roster spot by training Luigs as the long snapper? Is it really THAT special of a skill??

by swebbIL on Oct 7, 2009 12:08 AM EDT reply actions

Put it this way

There’s a couple of guys on D who are trying to smash your vertibrae while you look upsdie down, between your legs and try to fling a perfect spiral 15 yards to a guy knealing on the ground. What do you think?

by UpStateMike on Oct 7, 2009 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Don't forget you control when to snap

Yes, it sounds downright scary when the guys on the other side are looking down at you waiting for you snap and then cream you. But do not forget that Brad still control when to snap with the count agreed in the huddle. He needs to work with Huber more.

by Richard L on Oct 7, 2009 4:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Dont' forget the rule change a few years ago

You can’t hit a longsnapper anymore

First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...

by btcoop71 on Oct 7, 2009 8:34 AM EDT up reply actions

I thought that you can, but that you have to wait something like a whole second after the snap before contact. Unless that was the old rule and they changed it to “not at all”…

by FriarBob on Oct 7, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

RE:

The way I remember it is that you can’t line up over the center before the snap. It allows him time to get his head back up and in position. As far as I know, you can slap him around as much as you’d like.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Oct 7, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought you just couldn't hit a long snapper if he was wearing glasses.

by smoormandiddy on Oct 7, 2009 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

theres really no excuse

if the bengals are so worried about consistency when they decide its past time to replace st louis, use the practice squad. thats right, actually use one of those slots to groom a replacement for a couple of weeks. when the new snapper has timing with huber down, cut st louis and move the new snapper to the active.

st louis has a new holder this year and its messing with his head. but his bad snaps are messing with the score board. its past time to start developing a solution. sign someone to begin the grooming. and if st louis manages to figure it out in the next 2-4 weeks, he’s still on the team. if not..

by palewook on Oct 7, 2009 8:33 AM EDT reply actions

but that would hurt BSL's feelings

and Marvin Lewis isn’t in the business of hurting guys’ feelings.

by GrooveLeg on Oct 7, 2009 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't think

that ML is worried about his feelings as mush as MB does. Remember the other cuts,Big Willie, Takeo Spikes, etc,etc,etc. ML philosophy is that, if you don’t want to be here leave, or your cut. It’s MB that says we pay you the money, so your going to stay, you are going to do what we tell you to do. We believe in you. Then MB tells ML to work it out. JUST MY OPINION!!

by WHYUS!! on Oct 7, 2009 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

i was just messin around.

but i agree with all that you said.

by GrooveLeg on Oct 7, 2009 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions

good thought

and at the very least it allows long time St Louis time to realize he needs to perfect this NOW or he’ll be gone, and he may or may not oever play in the NFL again.

by UpStateMike on Oct 7, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

i can actually longsnap, no joke

"Ghiaciuc's play was a distraction"

by Joe Goodberry on Oct 7, 2009 10:44 AM EDT reply actions

I probably trust you more than BSL

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Oct 7, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

RE:

A Charlie Liebrant change up isn’t a good snap.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Oct 7, 2009 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions

my question wasn’t whether long snapping required skill, just whether that skill is SO unique from everything else we ask centers to do. If Luigs can handle snapping in all other conditions, why can’t he be trained to handle long snapping as well?

by swebbIL on Oct 7, 2009 12:03 PM EDT reply actions

I have zero doubt that he could do it. But what I DO have a doubt on is that he could do it AND have time to get the full practice schedule in with the “twos” or “threes” or whatever his depth on the chart is. And that’s why you have a dedicated slot to the position, so that the three guys who are by far the most critical components (not that the others are unimportant, of course) of special teams can be practicing while the rest of the team works on what it needs to do.

by FriarBob on Oct 7, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions