After a few nibbles early in the summer, former Kansas State placekicker Anthony Cantele is still trying to land a free-agent contract as National Football League camps open this week.
“You just never know what’s going to happen with that,” Cantele said, “because there’s only one kicker per team. If he gets hurt, they’re going to start calling around and trying guys out, bring in a backup.”
Cantele, who has had three tryouts, paid a visit to former teammate Collin Klein during the Collin Klein Passing Academy at Wichita West High School on Monday, July 15.
“I was originally with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” said Cantele, a 5-foot-10, 181-pounder from Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel High School. “Right after the draft, I went to rookie camp with them and I didn’t get signed right away.
“I went to the Chiefs camp the next week and didn’t sign with them, either. Tampa Bay called me back for a workout in early June and ended up taking another guy over me. That’s the last of any contact with the team.”
Since his early tryouts, Cantele has been staying close to his cellular phone while keeping his leg in tune for prospective suitors.
Cantele made 19 of 23 field goals and all 64 of his extra-point kicks during his senior year last fall for the Wildcats, who captured a share of the Big 12 championship with Oklahoma, secured a BCS berth in the Fiesta Bowl and finished 11-2. They beat OU in head-to-head competition earlier in the season.
Cantele was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2012, ranking behind first-teamer and Oklahoma State dual threat Quinn Sharp, an All-America selection as both a kicker and a punter. Sharp signed a free-agent contract with Bengals after going undrafted.
Cantele says he heads out to the Kapaun field at least three times per week to kick.
“I usually go out there, depending on the day, and hit 50 to 100 balls,” he said. “You don’t want to overdo it because when you overdo it, your form starts to fail a little bit and you don’t want that to become a habit.”