Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2024 season.
25. Brandon Graham
24. Nakobe Dean
23. Milton Williams
22. Jake Elliott
A lot of Eagles ended up slumping in 2023.
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Not Jake Elliott.
The Eagles’ kicker had his best season last year and was named as a second-team All-Pro. The only thing that kept him from the first team was Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey, who was literally perfect in 2023.
Elliott wasn’t perfect. But he was darn close and did most of his kicking outdoors. His 59-yard field goal to force overtime against Buffalo in Week 12 is one of the hardest kicks we’ve ever seen. That earned him his third Special Teams Player of the Week honor in 2023.
In all, Elliott made 30 of 32 field goals and 45 of 46 extra point attempts. He was 7 of 8 from 50+ too.
NFL
Elliott, 29, again proved himself to be one of the best kickers in the NFL and then the Eagles paid him like it. After locking up punter Braden Mann and Rick Lovato with new contracts, Elliott got his bag. The Eagles gave him a four-year, $24 million contract through 2028. That $6 million average per year ties him with Justin Tucker as the top paid kickers in the NFL.
There’s no question that Elliott deserves it.
Since a down season in 2020, Elliott has been one of the best kickers in the NFL. He has made 80 of 88 field goals (90.9%) and 15 of 17 field goals from 50+ (88.2%) in the last three years.
And it all starts with his preparation.
“I’ve just kind of kept my process,” Elliott said last week after the extension. “I really focus in on my fundamentals in the offseason. I think ever since Tyler Brown’s come in here with Coach (Michael) Clay, he’s kind of honed in on some of that stuff with me and helped me develop a plan in the offseason.
“I give myself a little break and let my body recover and then kind of work myself back up. Just striving to be more consistent every day. I feel good about my leg power, my strength, I feel good about all that. So how much more consistent can we get? And that’s my focus the last few years.”
It’s amazing just how good Elliott has been on long kicks. Over the last three years, Elliott has the best percentage from 50+ of all kickers with at least 15 attempts:
1. Jake Elliott: 15/17 (88.2%)
2. Chris Boswell: 21/25 (84.0%)
3. Chase McLaughlin: 20/24 (83.3%)
4. Ka’imi Fairbairn: 15/18 (83.3%)
5. Daniel Carlson: 18/23 (78.3%)
The Eagles are hoping to kick fewer field goals in 2024. They hope their offense will be elite and score a bunch of touchdowns. That would be great.
But having a great kicker pays off in crucial moments and in the playoffs — where Elliott is 16-for-16 in 11 career games. The Eagles definitely have a great kicker.
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