Former Cal Punter Bryan Anger Signs With Cowboys

Ex-Golden Bear L.P. Ladouceur won't be Anger's long-snapper if Anger wins the punting job with Dallas

Former Cal punter Bryan Anger, who was released last month by the Houston Texans, agreed to a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday.

However, it is not clear whether Anger will be the Cowboys' punter in 2021.

The move once again gives the Cowboys two punters on the roster after the release of Chris Jones last month. Hunter Niswander is still on the roster after being brought in at the midpoint of last season. Niswander was impressive during his first season in the league, but special teams coordinator John Fassel may want some competition at the position.

Niswander averaged 47.2 yards per punt in eight games with the Cowboys, while Anger averaged 46.4 yards in 16 games for Houston last season. Anger had a net average of 41.8 yards per punt and 19 of his 54 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. The 2021 season was Anger's 10th in the NFL after being a third-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2012 draft.

Anger arrived in Dallas one year too late to take snaps from another former Cal player, L.P. Ladouceur.  Ladouceur has been the Cowboys long-snapper the past 16 seasons, but last month, the Cowboys decided to replace Ladouceur with long-snapper Jake McQuaide.

Ladouceur has not announced his retirement, though, and hopes to sign with another team.

Ladouceur holds the record for most consecutive games played by an active NFL player. He has played in 253 consecutive games, not including nine playoff games, which would run his streak to 262.

His consecutive-games streak is the sixth-longest alltime in the NFL. behind retired players Jeff Feagles (punter), Brett Favre (quarterback), Jim Marshall (defensive lineman), London Fletcher (linebacker) and Shane Lechler (punter).

Ladouceur is the last active player in the NFL to play for Bill Parcells, and he is the last Cowboy to have played at Texas Stadium. 

The Canadian-born Ladouceur became a U.S. citizen two years ago.

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Cover photo of Bryan Anger by Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports

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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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