looks like we found Nates replacement...
Chargers sign Novak, Nwagbuo
Posted 23 hours ago
a a SAN DIEGO – The Chargers signed kicker Nick Novak to a two-year contract Tuesday to replace Nate Kaeding, who is out for the season with torn ligaments in his left knee.
The team also placed Kaeding on Reserve-Injured, released safety C.J. Wallace and signed defensive lineman Ogemdi Nwagbuo to a one-year contract.
Novak, a San Diego native, spent training camp with the Bolts in ’10. He’s 19-of-30 kicking field goals in the NFL and hasn’t missed an extra point.
“I’m here for the rest of the season, and the goal is to win a championship. I’m going to take it one game at a time,” Nowak said. “My mantra has always been, ‘Just keep working and good things will happen.’ I really feel bad for Nate, but I’m here and I plan to do the best that I can for this team. I’m excited.”
Kaeding injured his knee during the opening kickoff in Sunday’s season-opener against Minnesota.
Since Novak graduated from the University of Maryland in 2004, he’s played for the Washington Redskins twice, the Arizona Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent time with the Chicago Bears (twice), Dallas Cowboys and most recently the New York Jets.
That list fails to mention year-long stints with the Cologne Centurions in Germany during NFL Europa’s final season in 2007 and the UFL’s Florida Tuskers last year, where he was 15-of-18 on field goals, including a league-record 54-yard make. He earned UFL Special Teams MVP for the 2010 season.
“I wouldn’t describe it as a fairy tale,” Novak said last year of his professional career. “I’ve made my rounds and paid my dues.”
Three of Novak’s 22 NFL games ended with him kicking a game-winning field goal. He also averaged 63.3 yards per kickoff for the Chiefs in ’08, his last NFL game experience.
Nwagbuo, 6-foot-4, 312 pounds, returns after being waived Sept. 3. Nwagbuo played 27 games for the Chargers the last two seasons and made 49 tackles, 1.5 sacks and six tackles for loss.
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