Ryan Plackemeier is coming off a monster senior year, in which he averaged 47.2 yards per punt with a net average of over 41.5 yards. His career punting average is #1 all-time in the NCAA at 45.26 yards beating out Ray Guy (7 pro bowl appearances and NCAA punter award namesake) and Shane Lechler (45.9 yard average so far in his 6-year NFL career). Lechler has been the top punter in the NFL the past 3 seasons. Plackemeier also has some experience as a placekicker. If Josh Brown were to go down with an injury, he is capable enough to fill in on extra points and short field goals. This could help the Seahawks avoid a disastrous situation like the Eagles faced last year when they had linebacker Mark Simoneau handling kickoffs and extra points when David Akers got hurt. Plackemeier's monster leg makes him a prospect as a kickoff specialist as well. He has shown good hang time on both punts and kickoffs and has a very quick release for a punter.
Tom Rouen has a sold career punting average of 43.4 yards, but his numbers are significantly inflated from his years in Denver's high altitude. Rouen has averaged 41.2 yards and 41.6 yards in his two full seasons for the Seahawks. In 2004, he only played in four games and was placed on IR because he injured himself trying to make a tackle. He is clearly a talented punter with many years of experience, but he is definitely on the decline in his ability to play in the NFL. He was 24th in gross punting average last season and 28th in net punting average. Rouen could easily get hurt again and his upside seems to be very limited with no reason to believe he will do anything but finish near the bottom of the league in punting again this season. His experience does give him an advantage on directional kicks.
Gabe Lindstrom averaged 41 yards per punt in his college career and has seen extensive preseason action with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants, but never made the final roster. It seems unlikely to expect anything other than the same result this year with the Seahawks.
Tom Rouen is clearly at the end of his career, but he could have one more year left. Ryan Plackemeier is not only the all-time NCAA punting leader, but he is a versatile punter that looks like he could develop into one of the better punters in the NFL. His excellent size also gives the Seahawks a punter capable of making a final tackle, instead of pulling up lame. If Rouen beats out Plackemeier, the Seahawks will find themselves in the same predicament next season. Daniel Sepulveda at Baylor is currently second all-time in NCAA punting, so the Seahawks could try to draft him next season if Plackemeier does not work out. If Plackemeier shows he is improving in his directional punting, he should beat out Rouen and give the Seahawks one of the most power punters in the NFL for years to come.
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