Last December, I argued that Carolina Panthers punter Jason Baker might have deserved a Pro Bowl nod. One commenter called it "the first ever 'snub' post and/or article about a PUNTER in the history of journalism." Granted, this assumes I'm actually a "journalist," rather than just some lunatic fan sitting at home in his pajamas, writing snark-filled soliloquies to one of his favorite teams...Still, I like to think I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it, and as kickers go, Baker has been a quality acquisition for the Panthers. They recognized this, too, and gave Baker a five-year, $8.5 million contract extension today, making him one of the highest-paid punters in the NFL. Given the year he had last year, I'd say he's worth it.
Between Baker and John Kasay, at least the Panthers' kicking game is secure for 2007 -- as long as neither of them gets hurt, anyway. (*knock on wood*) Not too many NFL teams can say that. Come to think of it, not too many MLS teams can say that, either.
