The post-Brad Nortman era hasn't started off smoothly for the Carolina Panthers.
A prudent decision back in March — allowing Nortman to take a four-year, $8.8 million dollar deal in Jacksonville — forced the Panthers to search for another decision.
Who's going to punt now?
Three months after Nortman left, they may have found an answer in Mike Scifres.
"For a long time, there were a lot of coaches who thought he was the best punter in the league," special teams coordinator Bruce DeHaven said. "He could just take people out of the game. He had better hang-time punts than anybody else in the league. If he can continue to do that, then we’ll be in great shape."
After 13 seasons in San Diego, Scifres was released in April on the same day the Chargers used a sixth-round pick on Texas A&M punter Drew Kaser. Scifres had a subpar season in 2015, but according to Panthers coach Ron Rivera, Scifres played through a problem in his plant leg, an injury he had "cleaned out" this offseason.
"I'll never blame a performance on an injury, but I did have some stuff last year that I got taken care of when the season ended," Scifres said. "I feel a lot better than I did at this time last year."
Once healthy, coming to the Carolinas was an easy call. Scifres knew Rivera from his three years as the Chargers' defensive coordinator, and that wasn't the only San Diego connection.
"(Fullback) Mike Tolbert called me before I got out here and some other guys reached out to me and let me know how the locker room is," Scifres said. "I knew what to expect and when I walked in, and they didn't let me down. It was the same fun group that they told me it would be."
Scifres, who has 756 career punts, will compete with Swayze Waters, who has never played in an NFL regular-season game. When they signed Scifres last week, the Panthers kept Waters around and released fellow former Toronto Argonaut Michael Palardy.
Rivera said the move "added consistency" and it should increase the competition. Heading into training camp, it's likely Scifres has a leg up because of his experience. So if there's something left in the 35-year-old's right foot, the Panthers may have found their punter.
"I think competition brings the best out of everybody. No matter who you ask, a 14-year veteran or a guy who's MVP of the league, competition is what makes us as athletes," Scifres said.
"I'm going to go until they tell me that I can't."