The Falcons are exploring their options at kicker after Younghoe Koo missed what would have been a game-tying kick in the final seconds of the 23-20 Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers.
After holding a workout with several kickers, the Falcons are signing John Parker Romo to their practice squad, who made 11 of his 12 field goal attempts last season as a member of the Vikings, according to NFL Media. Romo, 28, spent training camp with the Patriots but was released during final roster cuts.
Romo reportedly was part of a workout that also included kickers Zane Gonzalez, Michael Badgley and Ben Sauls. Falcons coach Raheem Morris on Monday said that the Falcons would look at both internal and external options at kicker. In addition to Koo and Romo, the Falcons also have a third kicker in Lenny Krieg, who is currently on the practice squad.
“There’s no secrets around here how we go about our business,” Morris said. “There will always be a highly competitive atmosphere. … Obviously, we have a young man in the building that is more of a young, up-and-comer, developing prospect, but we’ll definitely look at outside and inside the building.”
Morris did acknowledge that, at this point, Koo is still the team’s starting kicker as Atlanta prepares for Sunday’s upcoming game against the Vikings. The 31-year-old former Pro Bowler is at the start of his eighth NFL season and seventh with the Falcons.
“It’s tough, obviously,” Koo said on Monday. “But, as always, I’ve just got to get back to work. Definitely frustrated. Had a great offseason, a great camp. Two weeks leading into Week 1, I felt great. I still do. There’s just a couple things I’ve got to adjust better on the go, like during the game. Learn from it and move on. There’s really all you can do.”
If history repeats itself, Koo should be able to rebound from his current adversity. As a rookie with the Chargers, he was waived after just four games despite not missing a kick during his last two games with the team.
Koo then spent a year kicking in the Alliance of American Football before having a brief stint on the Patriots’ practice squad. He made the most of his opportunity after the Falcons signed him during the 2019 season. He made 88.5% of his field goal attempts that season and was tabbed as a Pro Bowler in 2020 after making a career-high 94.9% of his field goal tries.
Koo continued to be a solid kicker for Atlanta for the next three seasons before he experienced a dip in performance last year when he made a career-low 73.5% of his kicks. He made two of his three field goal attempts and both of his PATs during Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay.
