New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye (13) is congratulated after his field goal against the Buffalo Bills during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)AP
The Patriots look like a team that will have a new kicker again for the third straight season.
According to the NFL Network, the Tennessee Titans are signing Joey Slye. The veteran, who spent last year in New England, will attempt to replace former Patriots kicker Nick Folk on his new team.
The Patriots have one kicker, John Parker Romo, on their roster, but are expected to add another in either free agency or the upcoming NFL Draft.
Last season, Slye beat out Chad Ryland in the Patriots kicker competition. The 28-year-old set a new franchise record with a 63-yard kick. However, Slye also struggled with consistency as the season went on. He finished the season making 26-of-33 kicks. His 78.8 completion percentage ranked 27th among kickers.
Drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round in 2023, Ryland landed in Arizona where he revamped his career and showed his potential. The second-year kicker finished 12th in the NFL with an 87.5 completion percentage.
In 2023, the Patriots opted to keep Ryland, which was never in doubt due to his draft status, over Folk. That summer, Bill Belichick traded Folk to Mike Vrabel and the Titans. Folk went on to lead the NFL in field goal percentage the last two seasons (96.7%) in 2023 and 95.5% in 2024).
After Folk was in Foxborough, the Patriots have struggled to find consistency in the kicking game. After cycling through Ryland and Slye, the team heads into the 2025 NFL season looking for another kicker once again.
One option is on the roster in Parker Romo. Last year, he made 11-of-12 field goal attempts in four games with the Minnesota Vikings. He finished the season on the Patriots practice squad and was signed to a futures contract.
There are several free-agent options still available. That includes Folk, who turns 41, next fall. Also available are Matt Prater, Eddy Pineiro, Michael Badgley, Austin Seibert, Greg Joseph, and Cade York.
The Patriots can also look for another kicker in the upcoming draft. That includes Andrews Borregales (Miami), Ben Sauls (Pittsburgh), Ryan Fitzgerald (Florida State), Gino Garcia (Texas Tech), and Caden Davis (Ole Miss).
The Patriots met with Borregales and Sauls at the NFL Combine.
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