Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Packers' punter Tim Masthay: 'I don't feel like I've won anything yet'

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Don't tell Tim Masthay he's won the Green Bay Packers' punting job again.

"I don't feel like I've won anything yet," Masthay said Monday after Peter Mortell, his competitor this preseason, was released.

And even if Masthay did win the job, that's not his end game.

"I'm not here to just win a job," Masthay said. "I'm not here just to survive cut day. I'm here to help the Packers win football games. That's what I'm interested in doing. That's what I'm focused on doing. So for me, it's what do we got? Two more practices then one more preseason game. Try to perform well in those outings, hopefully still show that I'm the man for the job next week, see if that's the case, and then try to win some football games."

This is much appears certain: Masthay will get all the reps this week in practice and in Thursday's preseason finale at Kansas City.

It's always possible the Packers could make a move based on which other punters come available following Saturday's roster reduction to 53 players. But barring a disastrous week, Masthay is likely to be the Packers' opening-day punter for the seventh straight season.

"He's in the driver's seat," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's important to have a good week of practice and perform in Kansas City, just like everybody. It's a competition to make your team. It's really available for all of those guys fighting for spots as you go through each position. Tim, we have great history with here and he'll just continue to work and get better."

Masthay hit three solid punts in last Friday's preseason game at San Francisco, averaging 4.46 seconds of hang time. He said he's been happy with his hang time so far this preseason but wants to improve his direction. Special teams coach Ron Zook often asks Masthay to kick directionally. Last year, despite inconsistent ball striking, Masthay set the franchise record for net punting average (40.3 yards) thanks in part to improved coverage teams.

"He just needs to continue to do the things we're asking him to do and continue to punt," Zook said. "Obviously, I think in the National Football League, it's an on-going process. Mason [Crosby] and I were talking out on the field before the 49er game, every day if you don't work on your craft, if you don't continue to improve, if you don't continue to work on things to make you be the best you can be then you're not going to be around very long. There's no question in my mind, Tim understands that as Mason does and Lovato and hopefully all the players on our team understand that."

It marked the second straight season Masthay faced competition in training camp. Last year, he won the job early in camp after the Packers released Cody Mandell. Neither time fazed Masthay, who is in the final season of a four-year, $5.465 million contract.

"To me, there isn't even the slightest bit of relief or take-a-deep-breath or anything like that," Masthay said. "As far as I'm concerned, this is still a phase of camp where I'm still fighting to earn a roster spot and fighting to be prepared to be an asset here during the season if and when I am on the roster. So to me, the only change is I got all the reps today. So I got a little extra practice. That's about it."

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