Getty Johnny Hekker of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before a 2020 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Bryan Anger might not want to get too comfortable as the Dallas Cowboys punter.
Having already experimented with the since-released Hunter Niswander, Dallas could be targeting an upgrade for — and reunion with — special teams boss John Fassel.
According to Bryan Broaddus of 105.3 The Fan, that upgrade is (for now) Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker.
“Whispers you hear. LAR Punter Johnny Hekker might get released and head to Dallas to reunite with Fassel. This is worth a watch,” Broaddus tweeted Monday, August 30.
Other media, including Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson and USA Today’s Cam DaSilva, have corroborated Broaddus’ hearsay linking the four-time All-Pro to Big D.
“Would not be surprised if this is anticipating the availability of #Rams P Johnny Hekker,” Robinson tweeted last week after the Cowboys restructured Ezekiel Elliott’s contract, creating $6.88 million in salary cap space.
“The Cowboys only have Bryan Anger at punter, who they signed this offseason. Hekker is much better than Anger and obviously has a strong connection with not only Fassel, but Zuerlein and McQuaide,” DaSilva recently wrote, referencing Dallas’ coordinator, kicker, and long-snapper — all former Rams.
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Background on Hekker
A 2012 undrafted free agent, the 31-year-old has spent his entire NFL career with the Rams. Hekker is one of the most decorated punters of this generation, having twice led the league in punting yards and earned four Pro Bowl nods. He’s also a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
Times have changed, though. Entering his 10th campaign, Hekker now is locked in a starting battle with Corey Bojorquez, who’s younger, cheaper, and the presumed favorite of Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay, noncommittal to the veteran.
“Everybody knows what Johnny has meant to this team, to me, really to our organization, and this goes a long (way) back before I even got here,” McVay said last week, per USA Today. “But, Corey has come in and he’s done a nice job. We’re going to continue to evaluate that”
The sport’s richest punter, Hekker is signed through 2023. In the event of a trade, the Cowboys would assume the remainder of his contract, which includes 2021 base salary and salary cap figures of $3.7 million and $4.9 million, respectively.
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Dallas Eyeing RB, TE in Trade?
Appearing on 105.3 The Fan on Monday, Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones confirmed he has an open line of trade communication around the NFL landscape and hinted the organization may be seeking running back and tight end help ahead of Tuesday’s 53-man roster cutdown deadline.
“We got great communication going on out there with all the teams,” Jones said, adding, “Losing Rico Dowdle was a tough one for us. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look and see well they might need a third running back. You lose Sean McKeon, our third tight end… In general, that’s how those conversations go.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL