It appears Hunter Niswander won’t just be handed the punter job in 2021 after all. The Dallas Cowboys are signing veteran Bryan Anger to a one-year deal, creating what could be a close competition.
Anger has spent the last two years with the Houston Texans but was released in March as a salary cap casualty. The 32-year-old also had previous stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Entering the league with a bullseye after Jacksonville used a 3rd-round pick to select him in 2012, Anger has been consistently solid with a 46.4 career average on his punts. He was the 15th-best punter in 2020, but six spots below Niswander in terms of average yards per punt.
Anger also has experience as the holder on field goals and extra points.
#Cowboys are signing P Bryan Anger to a one-year deal, sources say. Joins Hunter Niswander on the roster after Chris Jones was released last month.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 7, 2021
I was literally, last night, thinking to myself: “Hunter Niswander did a really nice job last year. But was he *so* good that the Cowboys don’t want competition for the job?”
Bryan Anger should check that box just fine.
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) April 7, 2021
The Cowboys released Chris Jones offseason to create space but also after Niswander’s strong performance in 2020. Jones was placed on injured reserve in November and then Hunter came off the practice squad and was impressive in his eight games.
Nevertheless, Dallas doesn’t seem ready to just hand him the job.
John Fassel’s only been here one season as Special Teams Coordinator but has already shaken things up. The team didn’t even let Kai Forbath compete at kicker in 2020 and made Greg Zuerlein their guy based on his history with Fassel. Last month, former Rams long snapper Jake McQuaide was brought in to replace longtime Cowboy L.P. Ladouceur.
Like Forbath last year, Hunter Niswander is going into 2021 after performing well in an interim capacity. Will he at least get a chance to fight for his job, or will Dallas again move forward with a more proven veteran in Bryan Anger?
Hopefully, unlike at kicker, we at least get to see a competition at punter this summer.
