Punter

ASHBURN, Va. - An autograph-seeker asked Washington Redskins linebacker Shawn Barber the name of the person standing about 10 yards from the two. "That's Rodney Williams, our punter," Barber said. Williams can only hope those words hold true come Sept. 3. The first-year player out of Georgia Tech is fighting an uphill battle against 15-year NFL veteran Tommy Barnhardt. Barnhardt signed as a free agent this off-season to replace Matt Turk, who was shipped to Miami for a seventh-round draft choice.

The Ravens signed a veteran punter yesterday who has played sparingly during the past six seasons but once set a record for most punts in a game and is at least familiar to special teams coordinator Frank Gansz Jr. Leo Araguz, 36, who has punted just 42 times since 2000, signed a one-year contract; financial terms were not disclosed. The Ravens were faced with replacing punter Dave Zastudil, who last month signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Cleveland Browns. Araguz, 5 feet 11, 190 pounds, entered the NFL in 1996 as a free agent from Stephen F. Austin with the Oakland Raiders, where he was coached by Gansz during the 1998 and 1999 seasons.

In his other life, Ken Walter collected socks and jocks from players, footballs from every corner of the practice field and a generous dose of grief from Ravens special teams coach Scott O'Brien.Those and other sundry duties were part of his job description as equipment intern at an NFL training camp. It was a job he held for five years, four with the now-displaced Cleveland Browns and last season with the Ravens.By any other name, he was a ballboy.These days, Walter lives the exhilarating life of a 25-year-old rookie punter for the Carolina Panthers.

Three days after restricted free agent Kyle Richardson signed an offer sheet with the Carolina Panthers, Ozzie Newsome said the Ravens would keep the 28-year-old punter. "We will match the offer," the Ravens' vice president of player personnel said last night from Palm Desert, Calif., where he is attending the NFL owners' meetings. "We will retain Kyle." Richardson, who led the league in punts inside the 20-yard line each of the past two seasons, signed a one-year, $850,000 offer sheet with the Panthers on Friday.

COLLEGE PARK - Brooks Barnard walked across the Maryland campus last Monday and soaked up all the adulation from his many sudden admirers. "Aren't you the punter," said one fellow student, slightly in awe? "Hey, boomer," said another passerby. Barnard's backup punter, Vedad Siljkovic, even honored him with a drawing on the blackboard, depicting Barnard kicking the ball high across the field with some calculus formulas decorating the flight of the ball. All kind of messages from family members and friends were left on Barnard's answering machine.

Punter Dave Zastudil was fully prepared to go in the fourth round of last weekend's draft. Zastudil said he expected one of a few other teams to select him if the Ravens had not. One of those teams may have been the Minnesota Vikings, who signed former Ravens punter Kyle Richardson shortly after Zastudil was selected in the fourth round as the 112th pick. Wherever he went, Zastudil figured he would get his share of attention for being such a high pick at his position. "Outsiders might think there is some pressure on me, but I just do my same ritual, same practice routine and everything I've always done that has led up to my success so far," Zastudil said.

Western Maryland punter Kevin Culbertson does not fit the stereotype of most kickers. He doesn't avoid contact at all costs and he doesn't march to the beat of a different drummer. Walk by any Green Terror practice and the former Gilman wide receiver can be seen fitting right in with his teammates on the field. Culbertson might be running some pass patterns or filling in at defensive back in a pinch. What about his punting practice? "I get that done early and then I'm ready to help out wherever I'm needed," said the 6-foot, 158-pound player who was a cornerback, wide receiver and quarterback at Gilman.

Dave Zastudil will be out three to four weeks, leaving the Ravens in search of a temporary punter who could suit up in time for Sunday's game. Backup quarterback Kordell Stewart handled the duty for nearly three quarters when Zastudil separated his left shoulder after he was blocked downfield on a punt against the New York Jets, but the Ravens have no desire to make what was an emergency plan permanent. Special teams coordinator Gary Zauner will have tryouts tomorrow, and the Ravens may have someone signed by the evening.

There are two Greg Montgomerys.One is the man who was a noted locker room jokester for seven years with the Houston Oilers and Detroit Lions, during which time he established himself as one of the top punters in the NFL.The other is the more focused, serious man who signed with the Ravens this year after sitting out last season."

Good morning --Northern Colorado -- The idea on special teams is to down the punt, not the punter.