Stephen Gostkowski - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Patriots, Stephen Gostkowski

April 7th, 2019 at 10:35am CST by Rory Parks

Stephen Gostkowski, one of the league’s most prolific kickers, is still unsigned as we head into the fourth week of the new league year, and there has not been any chatter about him since March 21.

On March 21, we learned that the Patriots and Gostkowski, who has served as the team’s place kicker since 2006, were working on a new deal. But nothing has happened yet, and despite rumored interest from other clubs, it is unclear who those other teams might be and how interested they are in Gostkowski’s services.

Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says the Patriots are simply waiting on a “market correction” after they signed Gostkowski to a four-year deal in 2015 that included an AAV of $4.3MM, which would still rank second among kickers (behind only Robbie Gould‘s one-year franchise tender of just under $5MM). New England apparently believes it overpaid, and the club is not inclined to do so again.

Reiss expects Gostkowski’s status with the Pats to be solidified one way or another by the draft, which begins on April 25. But the ESPN scribe does not offer any indication as to whether he believes the two sides will re-up, so while it would still be surprising to see Gostkowski kicking for another club in 2019, it certainly appears to be a possibility.

Patriots, Stephen Gostkowski Working On New Deal

March 21st, 2019 at 6:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent kicker Stephen Gostkowski is working towards a new deal with the Patriots after receiving interest from other teams, according to Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston.

Gostkowski, 35, was selected by New England in the fourth round of the 2006 draft and has been the club’s kicker for 13 seasons. Last year, Gostkowski made 27 of his 32 field goal attempts, good for an 84.4% conversion rate that ranked 20th in the NFL. He missed only a single extra point, and the Patriots ranked 17th in Football Outsiders‘ field goal/extra point metric.

As Curran notes, this is Gostkowski’s first trip through unrestricted free agency. The Patriots used the franchise tag on Gostkowski in 2015 but subsequently inked him to a four-year, $17.2MM extension. That $4.3MM annual value would still rank second among kickers, but Gostkowski may be looking for a pay increase. New England declined to franchise Gostkowski this season, as the tender would have cost $4.971MM.

Patriots Unlikely To Tag Stephen Gostkowski

March 5th, 2019 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots haven’t ruled out using the franchise tag before Tuesday’s deadline, but it won’t be for kicker Stephen Gostkowski, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Gostkowski, who has been with the Patriots since 2006, is scheduled to reach unrestricted free agency next Thursday.

The Pats used the franchise tag on Gostkowski in 2015 before signing him to a four-year deal. This time around, Gostkowski may get a chance to shop his reliable leg to other teams, but the Patriots still want to retain him.

Last year, Gostkowski connected on 84.4% on his field goal tries and 98% of his extra point attempts. Because he won’t be tagged, the Patriots may consider the tag for defensive end Trey Flowers or left tackle Trent Brown. Gostkowski’s tag would have cost New England a little less than $5MM, but tags for Brown (~$14MM) or Flowers (~$17.1MM) would be far more costly.

The Patriots have other key free agents set to hit the open market on Thursday including wide receivers Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, and Cordarrelle Patterson, cornerbacks Jason McCourty and Jonathan Jones, and punter Ryan Allen.

Patriots Notes: Kraft, Flowers, Tate

February 24th, 2019 at 10:32am CST by Rory Parks

Patriots owner Robert Kraft will likely not face many legal repercussions from his prostitution charges, according to a Florida criminal defense attorney (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe). Kraft will probably be required to pay a several hundred dollar fine and attend counseling of some sort, at which point the charges may be dropped.

But the consequences from an NFL standpoint are likely to be much more severe. Volin believes commissioner Roger Goodell should “come down hard on Kraft” and impose at least a six-game suspension and a hefty fine (the maximum fine is $500K). Kraft is obviously one of the most prominent and powerful owners in the league, but he may be relieved of some of his duties (he is a part of five major ownership committees). He was supposed to guide the league through a potential 2021 lockout and lead negotiations with television networks when those contracts expire in 2022, but that is all in question now.

Volin still believes Kraft will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but his induction will now be delayed, and the 77-year-old may not be around to enjoy his enshrinement when it does happen (Volin says Kraft was likely to get the HOF nod in a year or two). And, while Kraft will almost certainly not be forced to sell the club or hand it off to his son, Jonathan, this incident will be a permanent blot on his reputation.

Now let’s take a quick look at a few on-field notes from Foxborough:

Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers will be a hot commodity if he hits the open market, but Jim McBride of the Boston Globe says locking him up to a long-term deal is high on New England’s list of priorities. The Pats are unlikely to use the franchise tag on Flowers, and they are unlikely to keep him if it takes an Olivier Vernon-esque deal to do so (five years, $85MM). However, McBride believes Flowers will ultimately return to New England on a multi-year contract, even if he tests the free agent market first.
In the same piece linked above, McBride looks at the other Patriots eligible for free agency and their chances of returning to the club. For instance, he believes specialists Stephen Gostkowski and Ryan Allen will certainly be back, while Eric Rowe and Danny Shelton are more likely to find homes elsewhere.
Assuming the Patriots don’t trade out of the first round, Doug Kyed of NESN.com sees tight ends Noah Fant (Iowa) and Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) and DB Taylor Rapp (Washington) as potential fits.
Golden Tate would be a good fit in the Patriots’ offense, but Kyed does not believe the Pats will be willing to meet Tate’s asking price.
Brothers Devin McCourty and Jason McCourty have announced that they will continue their careers in 2019 after some retirement speculation prior to the Super Bowl. Devin is still under contract with the Patriots, but Jason is eligible for free agency.

Extra Points: Patriots, Gostkowski, Redskins

February 9th, 2019 at 12:29pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Patriots have had a ton of turnover on their staff, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, the past couple of years, and that got even more pronounced today. “Defensive line coach Brendan Daly is leaving for a spot on the Kansas City Chiefs’ staff”, a source told Jim McBride of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). Daly, 43, had been with the team since the 2014 season. The team lost defensive coordinator Matt Patricia last year, who left to become head coach of the Lions.

This year, they lost defensive play-caller Brian Flores, who left to become the head coach of the Dolphins. Flores took several Patriots assistants with him to Miami, and New England’s staff will look radically different. It’s a notable occurrence for an organization known for their stability, although Bill Belichick shouldn’t have any issue building a new quality staff. The team is reportedly hiring former Buccaneers head coach and Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano to replace Flores.

Here’s more from around the league:

Speaking of the Patriots, the champs will have some tough decisions to make this offseason. The team has a bunch of impending free agents, and likely won’t be able to keep them all. While the Patriots have a few players who could possibly be franchise tagged, kicker Stephen Gostkowski “makes the most sense”, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. Volin writes that left tackle Trent Brown is another candidate, but that it’s “more likely the Patriots would let him walk and insert Isaiah Wynn into the lineup” in his place. Wynn was New England’s first round pick in the 2018 draft, but missed his entire rookie campaign after tearing his Achilles during the preseason.
We heard Thursday that the Redskins were interviewing Tim Rattay for their quarterbacks coach opening, and the team is indeed hiring him, they announced via Twitter. Rattay will be the replacement for former quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell, who earlier this month was promoted to offensive coordinator. He’s never coached in the NFL before, and has spent the previous six seasons as an assistant at Louisiana Tech. He did interview for the Raiders’ QBs coach position last offseason. As such, it’s possible Oakland head coach Jon Gruden put in a good word for Rattay with his brother, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden.
In case you missed it yesterday, you can check out the latest update in the Antonio Brown domestic dispute case here.

AFC East Notes: Gostkowski, Marshall, Jets

July 17th, 2015 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

When he announced his decision to retire this week, veteran offensive lineman Dan Connolly was a free agent, no longer under contract with the Patriots. However, that didn’t stop New England head coach Bill Belichick from issuing a statement on Connolly’s retirement through the Patriots’ website today.

“Dan Connolly exemplified everything our program requires of players,” Belichick said in that statement. “He was tough and dependable, smart and team oriented and his work ethic ensured he improved on an annual basis to reach his potential. From where his career began as a developmental player to where it finished as a team leader and champion, Dan Connolly was a player I was proud to coach.”

Let’s round up a few more Friday notes on the Patriots and one of their AFC East division rivals….

Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links) provides the exact details on Stephen Gostkowski‘s four-year, $17.2MM contract with the Patriots. The extension includes a $6MM signing bonus and fully guaranteed salaries of $1.8MM in 2015 and $2.3MM in 2016, for a total of $10.1MM in guarantees. There are also annual $100K workout bonuses and per-game roster bonuses worth up to $200K per season.
Brandon Marshall‘s new team will be his last team, according to a tweet from the veteran receiver himself. In a Q&A session on Twitter on Thursday night, Marshall was asked what team he would eventually retire with, and the ex-Bear answered, “If I’m cut tomorrow. I’ll retire. This will be my last team.” Of course, considering the Jets traded for Marshall and gave him a slight pay bump earlier this offseason, the club doesn’t intend to release him anytime soon. When the time comes for the two sides to part ways, we’ll see if Marshall does indeed call it a career.
The Jets are already weighing a possible extension for Muhammad Wilkerson, with Sheldon Richardson nearing extension eligibility as well. As Brian Costello of the New York Post, nose tackle Damon Harrison is also entering a contract year, and the Jets will have some tough financial decisions to make if he gets any better.

Patriots To Extend Stephen Gostkowski

July 15th, 2015 at 1:18pm CST by Luke Adams

While he didn’t receive nearly as much attention as the other four franchised players this offseason, Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski also had until today to work out a multiyear contract with his team. And according to Christopher Gasper of the Boston Globe (Twitter link), Gostkowski has done just that, agreeing to an extension with the Pats. It’s a four-year deal worth $17.2MM, per Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links).

Gostkowski, 31, has led the NFL in field goals in each of the last two seasons, making 73 of his 78 total attempts during that stretch for a 93.6% mark. Gostkowski has also made all 95 of his extra point tries over the last two years. That success prompted the Pats to designate him as their franchise player, rather than using the tag on safety Devin McCourty, who eventually signed a long-term deal with the club as well.

Because he signed his tender shortly after he was tagged, Gostkowski wasn’t in the same situation as the other four franchised players, who were not under contract heading into today. Although today was the last day Gostkowski could sign a multiyear contract, there was no question that he’d report to the club later this month and participate in training camp, with or without a long-term contract.

Gostkowski’s one-year salary on the franchise tag had been $4.59MM, so his new deal reduces his annual salary slightly – to $4.3MM – in exchange for some longer-term security. Gostkowski’s extension also figures to include at least a modest signing bonus, which should allow the Pats to reduce his cap hit for 2015.

Stephen Gostkowski Signs Franchise Tender

March 6th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski has signed his one-year franchise contract tender from the club, ensuring that he’s locked into a 2015 salary of nearly $4.6MM, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Gostkowski and the Pats could still work out a longer-term deal that reduces that figure, but the team won’t be able to rescind the one-year offer at any point now Gostkowski has signed it.

Gostkowski, 31, has led the NFL in field goals in each of the last two seasons, making 73 of his 78 total attempts during that stretch, for a 93.6% mark. Gostkowski has also made all 95 of his extra point tries over the last two years. That success prompted the Pats to designate him as their franchise player, rather than using the tag on safety Devin McCourty, who now appears set to reach the open market.

The move makes Gostkowski the first of six players who were hit with the franchise or transition tag to sign the one-year tender. Dez Bryant, Justin Houston, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Demaryius Thomas have yet to sign their franchise offers, while Charles Clay hasn’t signed his transition offer.

Patriots Franchise Stephen Gostkowski

March 2nd, 2015 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

In the first somewhat surprising franchise-related move of the day, the Patriots have used their tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Safety Devin McCourty had been considered the more viable candidate in recent weeks, but we heard earlier today that the Pats were leaning toward franchising their Pro Bowl kicker, rather than the standout safety.

If any kicker is worthy of a franchise tag, Gostkowski certainly fits the bill. He has led the NFL in field goals in each of the last two seasons, making 73 of his 78 total attempts during that stretch, for a 93.6% mark. Gostkowski has also made all 95 of his extra point tries over the last two years.

Franchising Gostkowski will mean tendering him a one-year offer worth $4.56MM, which he will immediately be free to sign. Before or after Gostkowski signs that tender, the two sides will have the option of working out a longer-term deal.

As for what the move means for McCourty, it certainly looks like he’s one step closer to reaching the open market next Tuesday. The Pats still have another few days to exclusively negotiate with the veteran safety, but there have been no recent talks, per Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe (via Twitter), and the team is reportedly prioritizing Darrelle Revis, whose option will need to be addressed by next Monday. The decision to use the franchise tag on Gostkowski may be a sign that the club is willing to let McCourty go in order to get something done with Revis, but that’s far from a given at this point.

While the Pats have a reputation for cutting ties with players earlier than expected, in their ongoing quest to maximize a player’s value, they’ve had remarkably little turnover at the kicker position over the last two decades, with only Gostkowski and Adam Vinatieri handling the role. New England previously franchised Vinatieri twice in the first half of the 2000s in order to keep him on the roster.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: Pats, Dockett, Langford, Freeney

March 2nd, 2015 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on a few Monday rumors on current free agents, as well as free-agents-to-be….

With this afternoon’s franchise and transition tag deadline looming, the Patriots are more likely to use their tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski than safety Devin McCourty, sources tell Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston. Reiss cautions that the situation is “fluid” and that things could change by 3:00pm central time. However, if the Pats do decide to trade Gostkowski, it would mean McCourty could potentially hit the open market next week, as far and away the best safety available. It would be surprising if the Pats let McCourty get away, but that would at least seem to bode well for the return of Darrelle Revis.
According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, free agent defensive lineman Darnell Dockett is generating “a lot of interest” on the free agent market, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Rosenhaus is expecting Dockett to have a new home by the end of the week. As for the Cardinals, who released Dockett last week, they’re still hoping to bring the veteran defender back — Somers reports that they’ve offered a one-year deal worth up to $4MM through incentives, with a base value of $2.5MM.
Former Rams defensive tackle Kendall Langford, cut by St. Louis last week, is visiting the Lions today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). It’s an interesting tidbit of news, as Detroit attempts to lock up its own free agent defensive tackles, such as Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. For now, we should probably assume that Langford is just a Plan B, or a potential depth piece, but we heard earlier today that the team won’t franchise Suh, so there’s no guarantee he returns to Detroit.
After mulling the possibility of retiring, veteran Chargers pass rusher Dwight Freeney has decided to continue his playing career and return for a 14th season, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Freeney doesn’t have a contract for 2015, so he’ll have to find a taker, but I imagine he’ll still draw plenty of interest — despite recording only 3.5 sacks in 2014, the 35-year-old recorded 53 overall quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required).
Linebacker Brad Jones, who was released by the Packers last month, recently visited the Titans and has a visit lined up today with the Eagles, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Of the two veteran linebackers cut this offseason by Green Bay, A.J. Hawk received most of the headlines, but Jones is another player who could still contribute elsewhere.