The New England Patriots officially re-signed kicker Nick Folk and signed defensive lineman Michael Barnett on Monday.
Folk, 35, played seven games for the Patriots last season after Stephen Gostkowski went down for the season with a hip injury. He made 14-of-17 field goals and hit all 12 of his extra point attempts. Folk earned Pro Bowl honors in 2007 as a rookie and has provided reliability through his career.
The Patriots drafted Justin Rohrwasser in the fifth round this year and he appeared to be the outright starter until now. Folk could either have been signed to kick Rohrwasser into the next gear, or he’s the better candidate and Rohrwasser is gone.
Barnett, 23, played in 46 games with the Georgia Bulldogs and accumulated 47 tackles over that time. The 6-foot-4, 304 pound lineman had his best season in 2019 after playing in 13 games and recording a career-high 23 tackles.
The Patriots defensive line primarily consists of Lawerence Guy, Beau Allen, Adam Butler, Deatrich Wise and Byron Cowart. It’s unlikely Barnett cracks that lineup and makes the 53-man roster, but he’ll get his chance with three weeks until the season begins.
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