Rocca Agrees to 1-year Contract Offer
The last opportunity for teams to offer contracts to another club’s restricted free agent player came and went on Wednesday, and the Eagles had yet to receive word from punter Sav Rocca, whose deal expired at the start of the signing period. However, there were clearly no other organizations who had seriously considered or come close to acquiring the special teamer, and he has officially returned to the Eagles, agreeing to the one-year RFA tender contract they offered him earlier in the offseason.
With Rocca’s return to the roster, all of the team’s players that entered the signing period under restricted free agent status have either been re-signed or intentionally let into the open market. Several of the RFAs reached agreements on long-term extensions, including reliable reserve WR Jason Avant and Pro-Bowl fullback Leonard Weaver.
Since joining the Eagles in 2007 after 15 years in the Australian rules football league, Rocca (pictured) has played in every game as the team’s punter. Though he is known for having an extremely powerful leg and has had at least one kick over 60 yards in each of his three seasons in the NFL, the 36-year-old has had problems with staying consistent. For instance, in Week 7 of ’09, he booted a respectable 49-yard punt and began the game with success, but finished the matchup with a net average of only 33.3 yards. A hefty member of the kicking group at 6-f00t-5 and 265 pounds, Rocca figures to battle for his job in OTAs this offseason with Durant Brooks (who was signed in February) and perhaps a rookie who is selected in this week’s NFL Draft.
