Nick Folk, who has kicked for the Jets, Cowboys and Buccaneers, will join the Patriots, according to reports. Jason Behnken/Associated Press
The Patriots made no trades before Tuesday’s deadline, but did shake up their kicking game.
Gone is kicker Mike Nugent, and replacing him is Nick Folk, according to reports.
Folk is a veteran who most recently kicked in the AAF. In the NFL, Folk kicked for the Jets, Cowboys and Buccaneers. A Pro Bowler in 2007, the 34-year-old Folk has made 80.3 percent of field goals over his career.
Folk will be New England’s third kicker this season. Stephen Gostkowski was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury earlier this season and Nugent was brought in as his replacement. But the Patriots showed little faith in him when they bypassed seven field goal attempts between 37 and 53 yards to go for it on fourth down.
On Sunday in the Patriots win over the Cleveland Browns, New England went for it twice on fourth down, bypassing a 51-yard and 42-yard field goal attempt. Nugent missed two field goals– a 34 yarder and a 29-yarder, which was blocked.
Nugent made just 62.5 percent of his field goals in four games to place 31st among 33 NFL kickers who have played in four or more games this season. Nugent was 15 of 16 extra point attempts. Gostkowski made 87.5 percent of his kicks this year before landing on the season-ending injured reserve.
• New England running backs coach Ivan Fears gave positive reviews of rookie Damien Harris, taken in the third round out of Alabama. He just hasn’t been able to get him into games just yet.
“He’s doing well, he just needs a chance,” Fears said. “I got four guys that are playing real well including Brandon Bolden … I can’t get this guy out there. I can’t carry five backs in the game. It’s impossible.”
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