RAMS SIGN CFL KICKER HAJRULLAHU

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Los Angeles Rams have signed kickers Lirim Hajrullahu and Austin MacGinnis as potential replacements for longtime incumbent Greg Zuerlein, the team said Monday.

Neither kicker has appeared in an NFL game, but both have had tryouts with NFL teams.

The 29-year-old Hajrullahu has spent the past six seasons playing for three Canadian Football League teams, winning the Grey Cup with Toronto in 2017. After a strong season with Hamilton in 2019, the Tiger-Cats released him in January to allow him to pursue NFL opportunities.

Hajrullahu was born in Kosovo and grew up in Ontario.

MacGinnis was a record-setting kicker at Kentucky who went undrafted in 2018. He kicked in the defunct Alliance of American Football and in the defunct XFL over the past 14 months.

Zuerlein agreed to a $2.5 million free-agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys on March 30 after spending his first eight NFL seasons with the Rams.

Zuerlein was a Pro Bowl selection in 2017, and he hit the tying and winning field goals in the Rams’ NFC championship game victory over the New Orleans Saints in January 2019. But Zuerlein struggled with mid-range accuracy last season, going just 10 for 18 on field goals longer than 39 yards.

(Associated Press)