After the release of Roberto Aguayo on Saturday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetter said the team would sign another kicker to share training camp reps with Nick Folk. Following a round of tryouts on Sunday, that new Buccaneer was identified: Zach Hocker.
Hocker played for two teams during the 2015 regular season, appearing in six games with the New Orleans Saints and two with the St. Louis Rams. In that time he made 10 of 14 field goal attempts, with a long of 51, and 12 of 13 extra point tries. He also punted once for 43 yards while with the Saints. Hocker performed well on kickoffs in 2015, producing nine touchbacks on 12 attempts.
The Washington Redskins drafted Hocker out of Arkansas in the seventh round in 2014 but waived him at the end of his first preseason and giving the job to Kai Forbath. Hocker didn't play in the league in 2014 but signed with the Miami Dolphins the following January. Though he was eventually released by the Dolphins, he ended up in New Orleans, where he won a preseason battle with kicker Dustin Hopkins and started the season as the Saints' kicker.
Coincidentally, the Saints later waived Hocker after six games and signed Forbath, who had been released by Washington after the Redskins signed Hopkins. Hocker later filled in briefly for the Rams while Greg Zuerlein was injured. Hocker also went to training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals last year.
Hocker (6-0, 189) spent four years as the Razorbacks' kicker, making 61 of 79 career field goal tries and 171 of 173 extra point attempts. As a senior, he was perfect on 28 PATs while making 13 of 15 field goals. He hails from Russellville, Arkansas.
