Patriots To Re-Sign K Nick Folk
Nick Folk is sticking around New England. The Patriots are re-signing the veteran kicker, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
Folk signed a two-year extension worth $5MM, including $2.19MM in guaranteed money. The deal can max out at $5.6MM with incentives.
After spending 2018 out of the NFL, Folk caught on with the Patriots for a brief stint in 2019. He ended up sticking around for the 2020 season, and he’s appeared in each of New England’s games since that time. During his two-plus seasons with the organization, Folk has connected on 90.5 percent of his field goals and 91.3 percent of his extra point tries.
Folk started his career with the Cowboys, earning a Pro Bowl trip as a rookie in 2007. He had a seven-year stint with the Jets before a dreadful 2017 campaign with the Buccaneers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Antoine Wesley
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DE Ifeadi Odenigbo (story)
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: WR Nico Collins (story)
- Signed: TE Antony Auclair
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: T Jackson Barton (off Giants’ practice squad)
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: QB Sean Mannion
- Released: RB Ameer Abdullah; Abdullah is now on Minnesota’s practice squad
New England Patriots
- Promoted: K Nick Folk
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: OL Nick Gates (story)
New York Jets
- Promoted: LB Del’Shawn Phillips
- Released: S Sheldrick Redwine
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: DE Brandon Graham (story)
- Signed: G Jack Anderson (from Bills’ practice squad)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Jacques Patrick (from Bengals’ practice squad)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Travis Jonsen, LB Kevin Minter
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: DL Anthony Rush
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/18/21
The customary Saturday minor moves avalanche:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, CB Antonio Hamilton
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Kevon Seymour, T Andre Smith
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: DL Margus Hunt, T Alex Taylor
- Placed on IR: T Larry Borom
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: S Sean Davis
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Elijah Lee
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett, OL Austin Schlottmann
Houston Texans
- Promoted: TE Antony Auclair, K Joey Slye
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: WR DeMichael Harris
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: WR Laquon Treadwell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: OL Lester Cotton, RB Trey Ragas
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DL Joe Gaziano
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Micah Kiser, DL Justin Lawler
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: CB Jamal Perry
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: RB Ameer Abdullah, S Myles Dorn, QB Sean Mannion
- Waived: TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Tashawn Bower, K Nick Folk
- Placed on IR: K Quinn Nordin (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: DE Jalyn Holmes, LB Wynton McManis, DB Jordan Miller, C Austin Reiter (story)
- Placed on IR: LB Chase Hansen
New York Jets
- Promoted: S Adrian Colbert, LB Del’Shawn Phillips
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: LB Dre Greenlaw (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: TE Tommy Hudson
Patriots Promote Brian Hoyer, Nick Folk
Two familiar faces are back on the Patriots’ active roster. The team elevated Brian Hoyer and Nick Folk from its practice squad Saturday, Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The Pats also placed wide receiver Malcolm Perry on IR.
This has been a busy day for the kicker position, with Folk’s promotion following AFC South callups — Joey Slye (Texans) and Michael Badgley (Titans). But Folk will give the Pats two active-roster kickers. Quinn Nordin remains on New England’s roster. Barring an IR move, the rookie would need to pass through waivers in order to be shuttled down to the practice squad.
Bill Belichick hinted this week the Pats could carry both Folk and Nordin on their active roster. Folk could again be moved down to New England’s practice squad next week, given the 2020 CBA’s additional flexibility regarding practice squad promotions. Teams can now carry 55 players on their active rosters on game days; 48 can dress.
The Pats used Folk as their kicker throughout last season and in seven games in 2019. Arriving after Stephen Gostkowski‘s injury ended his 14-year tenure as New England’s kicker, Folk delivered a strong 2020 season by making 92.9% of his field goal attempts. This will be Folk’s 14th NFL season. Because he and Hoyer are elevations and not promotions, neither’s salary is guaranteed for the full season.
Following the Patriots’ release of Cam Newton, Hoyer was set to be Mac Jones‘ backup. The team cut Hoyer recently but re-signed him on a practice squad deal. Hoyer’s promotion has been a formality for a bit. The veteran passer is now on his third stint with the Patriots and will be tasked with mentoring a promising rookie. Jones and Hoyer are the only QBs on the Pats’ active roster. Jarrett Stidham is on the team’s reserve/PUP list, which will keep him off the roster for at least six games.
Patriots Add K Nick Folk, QB Garrett Gilbert To Practice Squad
We previously learned that the Patriots had added quarterback Brian Hoyer and linebacker Jahlani Tavai to their practice squad, and the team has made two more notable additions. The Patriots added kicker Nick Folk and quarterback Garrett Gilbert to their taxi squad today, according to the team.
The Patriots parted ways with Folk earlier this week, making rookie Quinn Nordin their new starting kicker. However, the veteran, who connected on 26 of 28 field goals and 30 of 33 extra point attempts for New England in 2020, will stick around on the practice squad. Folk entered the league back in 2007 and spent his first few years as the Cowboys’ kicker, although he’s most well-known for being the Jets’ kicker for seven seasons from 2010-16.
The Cowboys moved on from Gilbert this week, and now the quarterback will land back with his former organization. The 30-year-old spent parts of the 2014 and 2015 seasons with New England. He got his first NFL start in 2020 with the Cowboys, completing 21 of his 38 pass attempts for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
The rest of New England’s practice squad players can be found here.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC East
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s AFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Buffalo Bills
Signed:
Placed on IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- G Jack Anderson, DT Brandin Bryant, G Jamil Douglas, QB Jake Fromm, WR Tanner Gentry, LB Joe Giles-Harris, CB Ojaijah Griffin, WR Isaiah Hodgins, CB Cam Lewis, DE Mike Love, TE Quintin Morris, S Josh Thomas, QB Davis Webb, CB Rachad Wildgoose, RB Antonio Williams
Miami Dolphins
Claimed:
- DB Elijah Campbell (from Jets)
Waived:
- CB Jamal Perry
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Shaquem Griffin, QB Reid Sinnett
New England Patriots
Claimed:
- WR Malcolm Perry (from Dolphins)
Waived:
- LB Harvey Langi
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Tashaun Bower, DB Myles Bryant, C James Ferentz, K Nick Folk, QB Garrett Gilbert, QB Brian Hoyer, TE Matt LaCosse, FB Ben Mason, DT Bill Murray, WR Tre Nixon, OL Alex Redmond, CB D’Angelo Ross, G William Sherman, WR Kristian Wilkerson
New York Jets
Claimed:
- DE Tim Ward (from Chiefs)
Re-signed:
- TE Dan Brown, TE Ryan Griffin, S Sharrod Neasman
Waived:
- CB Bless Austin, DE Jabari Zuniga
Placed on IR:
- S Ashtyn Davis, LB Jarrad Davis, OL Conor McDermott
Patriots Reduce Roster To 53
The Patriots made headlines earlier today when they cut quarterback Cam Newton, a move that made rookie Mac Jones the starter. The team has since reduced their roster to 53 players, and we’ve detailed each of the moves (including those previously reported) below:
Released
- DL Montravius Adams
- DL Tashawn Bower
- DB Adrian Colbert
- OL Korey Cunningham
- OL James Ferentz
- K Nick Folk
- QB Brian Hoyer
- TE Matt LaCosse
- QB Cam Newton
- OL Alex Redmond
- DL Akeem Spence
- DB Dee Virgin
Waived
- DB Myles Bryant
- CB Michael Jackson
- DL Bill Murray
- WR Tre Nixon
- DB D’Angelo Ross
- G William Sherman
- DL Nick Thurman
- WR Kristian Wilkerson
- WR Isaiah Zuber
Placed on Reserve/PUP list
- DL Byron Cowart
- CB Stephon Gilmore
- LB Terez Hall
- QB Jarrett Stidham
Placed on Reserve/NFI list
- S Joshuah Bledsoe
- LB Cameron McGrone
Placed on Injured Reserve
The Patriots veterans are most notable, but the organization also waived a pair of 2021 draft picks. Sherman was a sixth-round pick out of Colorado who appeared in 30 games during his collegiate career. Nixon was a seventh-round pick; the wideout split his collegiate career between Ole Miss and Central Florida, earning All-AAC honors in 2019.
Patriots Expected To Release Nick Folk
Cam Newton isn’t the only long-time veteran getting the boot from the Patriots on Tuesday. New England is expected to make rookie Quinn Nordin their new kicker, thus paving the way for the release of Nick Folk, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Folk entered the league back in 2007 and spent his first few years as the Cowboys’ kicker, although he’s most well-known for being the Jets’ kicker for seven seasons from 2010-16. After his last season with New York he had a few games with the Bucs, but then found himself out of the league.
After spending all of 2018 out of football, he signed with the ill-fated AAF in 2019. He managed to find his way back to the NFL in October of 2019 when the Patriots cut Mike Nugent, and he was the kicker in all 16 of New England’s games last year. He was solid, making 26 of 28 field goals and 30 of 33 extra point attempts.
Nonetheless he’s never had the biggest leg, and it seems like Bill Belichick wanted a younger option with more upside. Folk will turn 37 in November. Nordin is an UDFA rookie from Michigan.
Patriots To Re-Sign K Nick Folk
The Patriots have added plenty of free agents from outside the organization this week, but they’re also keeping some of their own guys. New England is re-signing kicker Nick Folk to a one-year deal, a source told Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Yates reports that it comes with $1.225MM guaranteed. Meanwhile, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets that the deal has a $1.625MM base value, comes with a $125K signing bonus, and can be worth up to $2.5MM with incentives. After Stephen Gostkowski missed most of the 2019 season and was then released, the Pats have had a bit of an unstable kicking situation the past couple years.
They cycled through a few options, but now may have solved things with Folk. The former Cowboys and Jets kicker was out of the league for a little bit, and even spent some time with the Arizona Hotshots of the ill-fated AAF. He latched on for a handful of games with New England in 2019, then was signed again last August.
He ended up kicking in all 16 games last year, making 26 of 28 field goal attempts and 30 of 33 extra point attempts. Folk turned 36 in November.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Curtis Riley (off Steelers‘ practice squad)
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Montrel Meander
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Chris Jones
- Promoted: WR Daurice Fountain
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: S Dallin Leavitt
New England Patriots
- Promoted: CB Myles Bryant, K Nick Folk
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Ken Webster
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine