Patriots Reportedly Sign Draft-Bust Kicker Roberto Aguayo To Practice Squad

The Patriots are the latest NFL team to give Roberto Aguayo a chance to redeem himself.

New England on Saturday signed the veteran kicker to their practice squad, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The signing arrives a couple of days after the Patriots hosted Aguayo, whom the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used a second-round pick on in 2016, for a free agency visit.

Here’s Yates’ report:

Aguayo is famous for all the wrong reasons. One of the highest-drafted kickers in NFL history, the Florida State product missed nine of 31 field goal attempts and two extra-point attempts his rookie season. The Buccaneers released him before the start of the 2017 campaign.

Aguayo, still just 26 years old, has bounced around the NFL in the years since, with three different teams allowing him to prove himself. However, Aguayo has not kicked in a regular-season game since his rookie campaign.

So, what does the signing mean for the Patriots? It’s hard to say. Nick Folk has been one of New England’s few bright spots this season and has indicated he has no plans of retiring. The 36-year-old would be a solid option next year, but perhaps Bill Belichick, who used a fifth-round pick on kicker Justin Rohrwasser last spring, wants to get younger at the position.

If nothing else, the Aguayo signing likely indicates that Rohrwasser has not made substantial improvements since his ugly first training camp.