After a struggling year from first-year kicker Roberto Aguayo, Bucs general manager, Jason Licht, said competition will be brought in to make sure they’re getting the best roster they can.
Late Friday night, that promise was kept as the team signed veteran kicker Nick Folk.
News. A year after selecting K Roberto Aguayo in 2nd round, the Bucs are signing K Nick Folk. Let the competition begin. @gmfb @NFLonFOX
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) March 18, 2017
Following the Buccaneers trading up in the second round to select him, Aguayo was one of the league’s worst kickers in 2016 statistically. He made just 22 of 31 field goals (71 percent) which was the lowest percentage in the NFL, and, from distance, he only made four field goals from 40 to 49 yards.
Folk, on the other hand, has a knack for hitting beyond 40 yards. He spent the past seven seasons with the Jets before he was cut last month. He was 27-for-31 (87.1 percent) overall, and his longest kick was from 51 yards. He also went 3-for-3 on field goals from 40 to 49 yards which was tied for best in the league, and was 2-for-4 on kicks from beyond 50 yards.
Trevor Sikkema is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat reporter and NFL Draft analyst for PewterReport.com. Sikkema, an alumnus of the University of Florida, has covered both college and professional football for much of his career. As a native of the Sunshine State, when he's not buried in social media, Sikkema can be found out and active, attempting to be the best athlete he never was. Sikkema can be reached at: [email protected]
