Buccaneers Sign Former Giants Placekicker Lawrence Tynes
TAMPA, Fla. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Connor Barth will miss the upcoming season with a torn Achilles tendon and the team has signed two-time Super Bowl winner Lawrence Tynes as his replacement.
The Bucs announced Wednesday that Barth was injured last week in his hometown of Wilmington, N.C., and underwent successful surgery on Monday. He will be placed on the non-football injury list.
Tynes is a ninth-year pro who spent the past six seasons with the New York Giants, helping them win NFL titles in 2007 and 2011. He was a Pro Bowl alternate last season.
Barth signed a four-year, $13.2 million contract extension in 2012, when he was designated as the club's franchise player. Over the past four seasons, he converted a team-record 84.3 percent of his field goal attempts.
"We are disappointed to lose a productive player like Connor, but are very fortunate to be able to sign an experienced kicker at this time of year," Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said. "Lawrence and his agent, Ken Harris, had other standing opportunities, but we are pleased that they thought this was the right place for Lawrence to continue his career."
Tynes appeared in 81 games with the Giants, converting 122 of 146 field goals for an 83.6 percent success rate. Both times New York reached the Super Bowl, he kicked game-winning field goals in overtime to win the NFC championship game.
Tynes was second in the NFL in scoring with 145 points last season.
The Giants signed kicker Josh Brown to a one-year deal in March, and signed former Cowboys placekicker David Buehler in February.
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