Arizona Cardinals agree to 2-year contract with punter Dave Zastudil

Punter appreciation (#PuntersArePeopleToo) has been a big topic of conversation on Twitter in recent days (whether you want it to be or not!), and the Arizona Cardinals have locked down one of the best in the game for the next 2 seasons.

Per an official team release, the Cardinals have agreed to terms on a 2-year deal with long-time punter Dave Zastudil, keeping him off the free agent market until 2015. The 2013 campaign was another big season for the left-footed Zastudil, as he averaged more than 45 yards per punt (with a net over 40) and led the league in punts that were downed inside the 20-yard line with 35.

The 35-year-old punter is the best punter in Arizona history by any statistical calculation (punting average, etc.), and the 12-year veteran has produced 3 of the best 4 seasons of his entire NFL career while in an Arizona uniform. Obviously, punter signings don’t move the needle a great deal in the NFL, but when a team doesn’t have a reliable punter, it can become a point of contention, and the Cardinals are taking a proactive step in avoiding that type of trouble.