Tag: Nick Folk

Grading the Titans’ trade for K Nick Folk

Shaun Calderon puts a grade on the Titans’ trade for kicker Nick Folk.

The Tennessee Titans finally found their kicker for the 2023 season after they acquired Nick Folk from the New England Patriots in exchange for Tennessee’s seventh-round pick in 2025.

For that type of compensation, this was a no-brainer move to make, as the Titans get one of the most reliable kickers in the league who undoubtedly provides more stability than any of the kickers who have been on the team this year.

Folk made an impressive 86.5 percent of his field goals in 2022 (32-of-37) while making approximately 91 percent of his extra points (32-of-35), as well.

The veteran kicker will also give Tennessee the option to attempt longer field goals, with Folk making a whopping 80 percent (4-of-5) of his 50-plus-yard attempts last season.

For comparison, last year’s kicker, Randy Bullock, only attempted two field goals of at least 50 yards in 2022, making just one of those attempts (50 percent).

Tennessee needed to land a strong, reliable leg, and thankfully the team did just that — and it didn’t cost much to do so, either.

Grade: A

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Fans and media react to Titans’ trade for K Nick Folk

A look at how Titans fans and media reacted to the Nick Folk trade.

The Tennessee Titans finally addressed the vacant kicker position following a trade with the New England Patriots to acquire the services of veteran kicker Nick Folk in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick.

This move always felt like a possibility after the Pats invested a fourth-round pick on Chad Ryland in April while the Titans parted ways with Michael Badgley last week, ultimately leaving them without a kicker.

Folk is a fantastic and reliable solution to one of the team’s biggest question marks all offseason

Folk made 86.5 percent of his field goals in 2022 (32-of-37) while going a 32-of-35 (91.4 percent) on extra points. Despite his age, he also made four out of his five 50-plus yard attempts, so he still has the powerful leg the Titans have been looking for.

As you would imagine, this acquisition had Titans fans everywhere ecstatic, so let’s take a look at some of the immediate reactions by the fans and media members to Tuesday’s trade.

Report: Patriots trading veteran K Nick Folk to Titans

Patriots kicker Nick Folk is being traded to Tennessee, reportedly.

The New England Patriots have reportedly reached a deal to trade veteran kicker Nick Folk to the Tennessee Titans for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

It was reported early on Tuesday that the Patriots were fielding trade offers for Folk, who had a strong training camp this year.

Things got so competitive that New England considered carrying Folk on their roster, along with rookie kicker Chad Ryland. Coach Bill Belichick mentioned it as a possibility, and it seemed probable given how inconsistent Ryland was in training camp.

Granted, the young kicker clearly has the stronger leg and more upside, but Folk’s consistency was also on full display.

The Patriots were likely never going to outright cut Ryland after spending a fourth-round draft pick on him. For better or worse, they made this bed, and now, they’re going to lie in it with the stronger, fresher and far more inexperienced leg.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Report: Titans acquiring K Nick Folk in trade with Patriots

The Titans have reportedly traded for Patriots kicker Nick Folk.

The Tennessee Titans reportedly have their next kicker, as the team has struck a deal with the New England Patriots for veteran kicker Nick Folk.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Folk is heading to Nashville and will be the latest kicker to try their hand (or foot) at the Titans’ starting job.

Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Titans are sending New England a 2025 seventh-round pick.

Folk spent the last four seasons with the Patriots, hitting an impressive 89.3 percent of his field goals in that span. However, the writing was on the wall that Folk wasn’t long for New England after the team drafted kicker Chad Ryland, who will now take over for the Pats, in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Folk played in all 17 games last season and converted 86.5 percent of his field goals, including 4-of-5 from 50 or more yards. Over his four years in New England, he made 12-of-17 from that range (70.5%).

While it remains to be seen if 38-year-old can avoid the Tennessee kicker curse that has plagued so many since 2019, on paper he’s a reliable option with a strong leg, two things this team desperately needed.

To stay up to date with all of the reported cuts the Titans are making ahead of the cutdown deadline at 4 p.m. ET, follow along with our tracker right here.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Report: Patriots involved in trade discussions for K Nick Folk

The Patriots could be looking to trade K Nick Folk.

The New England Patriots might not be keeping two kickers on their roster after all.

Per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe and Dianna Russini, the Patriots are “engaged in trade discussions involving kicker Nick Folk”. The veteran kicker is on the heels of a strong training camp, but he found himself in tightly-contested battle with rookie Chad Ryland.

Unfortunately for Folk, Ryland is a fourth-round draft pick, which means the Patriots are too invested in the young kicker to cut him. The only other alternative would be keeping two kickers on the roster, which is something coach Bill Belichick mentioned as a possibility.

But the reality is that spot would be better suited for depth at another position.

There are multiple kicker-needy teams still out there, and if the Patriots could get back a draft pick in the deal, it would sweeten the blow of letting Folk walk out the door.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

6 takeaways from final day of Patriots training camp practice

Training camp has come and gone for the Patriots. Here are six takeaways from the team’s final practice.

The final day of training camp practice came and went for the New England Patriots on Wednesday. It’s crazy to think we are only a day away from the preseason finale and a little over two weeks away from the Patriots’ regular season opener.

These last few weeks have flown by, and we have reached the point where players on the roster bubble will have their final chance to convince coach Bill Belichick to keep them around on the 53-man roster.

The Patriots were in full pads for their final training camp practice, and there were several notable names that didn’t participate, including:

CB Jonathan Jones

G Cole Strange

WR Tyquan Thornton

OT Conor McDermott

ST Cody Davis

CB Isaiah Bolden

OT Calvin Anderson

DE Trey Flowers

C Kody Russey

Next on the itinerary for the Patriots is making the trek to Nashville for Friday’s game against the Tennessee Titans. But before liftoff, here are some takeaways from their final practice.

5 takeaways from Day 17 of Patriots training camp practice

A major return. A rising defensive playmaker? An injury concern? Here are five takeaways from Day 17 of Patriots training camp.

It was back to the practice grind on Tuesday for the New England Patriots, who took a couple of days off after Saturday’s preseason game with the Green Bay Packers.

This was a lighter practice with the team working in helmets and shells. They were slated to travel to Tennessee early this week for joint practices with the Tennessee Titans, but those plans have been canceled. So the team will finish up training camp in Foxborough in preparation for Friday’s preseason finale in Nashville.

Here’s the full list of absent players from Day 17 of training camp practice:

CB Isaiah Bolden

G Mike Onwenu

G Cole Strange

CB Jonathan Jones

DE Trey Flowers

WR Tyquan Thornton

OT Conor McDermott

OT Calvin Anderson

ST Cody Davis

WR Tre Nixon (waived)

Don’t let the relaxed practice fool you. The stakes are still high for those on the roster bubble with the 53-man cut deadline rapidly approaching. Let’s delve into some takeaways from Tuesday’s practice.

Could Nick Folk return to solve the Cowboys kicker problems?

The Cowboys may need a different kicker and the Patriots may have one kicker too many, says @ReidDHanson.

Once upon a time the Cowboys valued the kicker position so much, they actually used a draft pick to find one. The year was 2007. Both the Sopranos and Harry Potter series were just wrapping up. Lehman Brothers was still a solvent bank. Bob Barker was hosting The Price is Right and Whitney Houston released The Ultimate Collection.

The Cowboys were rewarded for their draft investment with Folk winning a Pro Bowl bid as a rookie and carving out a 15-year career as an NFL kicker. Over the past decade-plus, Folk would go on to kick for the Jets, the Buccaneers and most recently, the Patriots.

The Cowboys are currently in a state of unrest at kicker. After bidding adieu to last season’s kicker, Brett Maher, they are starting over at the position.

USFL standout Brandon Aubrey is leading the charge, but he’s been a little up and down in his preseason and training camp performances. Amidst a string of solid kicks, he sprinkles in the occasional missed extra point and shanked midrange shot. He’s promising, but at the same time, worrisome.

Could Folk’s career come full circle and land the former sixth rounder back in the city that once drafted him?

Despite him currently residing on New England’s roster, the answer is maybe.

The situation with the Patriots is a tenuous one for Folk. Even though he’s entering his fifth year with the club, he appears to be on the outside looking in.

Just like the Cowboys in 2007, New England broke from conventional wisdom and drafted a kicker with a Day 3 pick. Trading up in the fourth round, the Patriots selected Chad Ryland out of Maryland, unofficially putting Folk on notice.

Ryland has impressed early on, showing decent accuracy as well as impressive power. He’s the favorite to win the kicker job for the Patriots and the reason Folk will likely become available to a team like the Cowboys.

It’s difficult to tell how interested Dallas would be in Folk, if and when, such a day arises. Folk’s field goal percentage in 2022 was a respectable 86.5 with an extra point percentage of 91.4. Where Folk struggled was in the power department, delivering just three touchbacks all season.

While long kicks had never been Folk’s forte, they are now an obvious weakness as he enjoys his 39th trip around the sun. He wore down dramatically as the 2022 season wore on and likely isn’t seen as much more than an emergency option for teams in 2023.

Yet, depending how things wrap up with Aubrey, the Cowboys could be one of the teams looking for an emergency option.

It’s unlikely Dallas would trade anything for Folk,, who’s under contract for a $1,690,000 base salary (plus weekly roster bonuses) but if he’s released, they may be inclined to kick the tires.

A veteran player like Mason Crosby still likely has an inside track since he’s actually a free agent right now, he has history with Mike McCarthy, and he’s been consistently reliable from under 50 yards. Like Folk, Crosby is older and lacks the desired power, but as an emergency option, he has to be on the short list.

Everyone should want Aubrey to be the one who wins the job in Dallas. He has power and youth on his side. But if all else fails, it’s nice to know a familiar face like Folk may be an option in the near future. Just in case.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

30 Patriots players who will be pending free agents in 2024

The Patriots might have to make some tough roster decisions in 2024

The New England Patriots will have some tough decisions to make after the season with 30 players slated to hit free agency.

Some of the names on the list include key playmakers on both sides of the ball, like tight end Hunter Henry, safety Kyle Dugger, offensive tackle Trent Brown, offensive guard Michael Onwenu and burgeoning pass-rusher Josh Uche.

The good news is the Patriots are expected to be one of the richest teams in the league salary cap-wise next year. So they will have plenty of money to play with in an effort to keep all of their key free agents. They’ve already started in that regard in recent contract extensions for wide receiver DeVante Parker and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.

Here are 30 Patriots players who will be pending free agents in 2024 (via Spotrac):

Nick Folk thinks squib kicks could become norm with new kickoff rule

Patriots kicker Nick Folk believes the NFL should get ready for more squib kicks.

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

New England Patriots kicker Nick Folk weighed in on the new kickoff rule that will be implemented in 2023.

The rule itself has fair catches now being moved to the 25-yard line in an effort to increase player safety. This will also force the kickers to be a little more original when it comes to navigating this.

However, Folk has an idea in mind on where it could all lead. He has seen it all in his 15 seasons in the league. He has been with New England for the last four, recording 1,953 kickoff yards last season.

He has 162 touchbacks in his career, including three last season.

“I’d venture to say No. 1 on the hit list, there’s going to be more squib kicks,” Folk said, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “Now, when you’re kicking this ball that is this oblong shape, you just don’t know. It’s a tough kick to perfect. You’re at the mercy of the football.”

The chess match that will ensue as a result of the new fair catch rule will be a fascinating game within the game. It sounds as though Folk is ready.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]