Could the Oakland Raiders cut Sebastian Janikowski to make way for Giorgio Tavecchio?

In a Sports Illustrated piece on the Raiders 4th training camp practice, written by Austin Murphy, it mentions how at the end of practice, recurring camp leg Giorgio Tavecchio outkicked 17 year starter, Sebastian Janikowski. Which got me thinking, would the Raiders actually cut Janikowksi this year? If the underlying mantra of this new Raiders revival is competition, you bet your Al Davis they would.

But really, would they? Would they let Giorgio outkick him at every opportunity but still keep him? If that happened, I don’t think this staff could keep their credibility with the players if they didn’t cut him. Competition is what this league and the Raiders are supposedly about. Everyone has got to earn their keep. After the 2012 season, which saw Seabass connect on 91% of his Field Goal attempts, the best of his career, he signed his current deal which has two years remaining.

Since signing that deal, his FG made percentages have been 70%, 86% and 81%. This past year, he had his worst percentage of makes from 40-49 yards, 62.5%, since 2008 when he made only 50%. He has missed at least one kick from 30-39 yards for the second time in three years, while he previously only missed one in the 5 seasons before that. He hasn’t missed a kick from 20-29 yards since 2006. The Raiders tied for the 27th best field goal percentage in the NFL for 2015, while only attempting the third fewest kicks (26). These don’t sound like elite percentages, definitely not like the 4th highest paid kicker in the NFL, which Jano will be in 2016.

If they did cut him, what would it cost them? Well, not much. According to overthecap.com, if the Raiders cut Jano, they would save over $3M in salary cap with only about $300k in dead money. Give or take a little, depending if they make him a pre or post June 1 cut designation. Tavecchio is signed to a two-year non-guaranteed contract paying him $450k this year and $540k next year. I think the kicking job is up for grabs in Training Camp. Don’t be surprised if the longest tenured Raider finds himself looking for a new job before the 2016 season kicks off.