The New England Patriots have two kickers in the organization they seem to believe can do an adequate job.
So, reading between the lines, the leash is short on whoever is kicking in a given week.
Nick Folk and Justin Rohwasser both began the season on the practice squad, with Folk getting called up to kick in the Pats’ 21-11 season opening win against the Miami Dolphins.
Folk hit all three extra points, but missed a 45-yard attempt by a mile in the waning seconds of the first half. Following the game, he was sent back down to the practice squad.
As a result, it’s no guarantee he’s the guy when the Patriots face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in Week 2. And with a few days to go until the team travels to Seattle, a decision hasn’t been made about who has the job.
“We’re just taking it day-by-day right now and we’ll just see, as long as we continue to improve, we’ll progress forward,” Patriots special teams coordinator Cam Achord told reporters on Tuesday over Zoom, via MassLive.
“We’re happy with both guys,” Achord added. “They’re continuing to improve and each day we’re going out there and new challenges, trying to work with each guy. With the situation we’re in, obviously coach is gonna do what’s best for the team and maximize the amount of people we can have and everything.”
Folk was the best of four kickers for the Patriots last season. Rohrwasser was taken by New England with a fifth-round pick out of Marshall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
