Gost is back: Two-year deal

[cstjohn17]

I know kickers are not considered premium free agents but I am quite surprised no one has taken a run at Ghost. There are a lot of shaky kickers in the NFL and as we have seen it could be the difference between a playoff spot and early golf season.

Has anyone heard anything?

 

[venecol]

I know kickers are not considered premium free agents but I am quite surprised no one has taken a run at Ghost. There are a lot of shaky kickers in the NFL and as we have seen it could be the difference between a playoff spot and early golf season.

Has anyone heard anything?

No and that's a good thing, we need him back.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Read Bears and Vikings remain interested in Gostkowski

 

[captadamnj]

This is purely speculation with nothing to substantiate other than a personal hunch, but I believe he will be back, he is giving the Pats flexibility via the cap by remaining unsigned, and once the Pats have no other urgent pursuits, they will agree to a deal that fits within their available cap space. Queue the "Gostkowski signing with <blank>" in 3...2...1...

ETA: Hadn't seen it before posting, but Hannable offered this up as a possibility in a WEEI article posted today, as well.

 

[BobDigital]

I have said recently and it has proven to be an unpopular opinion, but I stand by it.

I am fine with letting Gost walk. The simple matter of the fact is I just don't trust him. He has missed at least 1 kick in the super bowl 3 times in a row. Not mention the Denver playoff game. That is 4 runs in a row that when the big moment has come around he has missed; and they were all makable kicks.

It's sad cause until 2015 he was absolute nails in the playoffs mostly.

Bronco - missed XP - forces the Pats to go for a 2PT conv and fail as opposed to going to OT.

Falcons - missed XP - forces the Pats to go for not 1 but 2 2PT conv. They get both but it made it a lot harder.

Eagles - Missed XP and FG (and passed up on a 55 yard kick cause they didn't trust their kicker). They could have been up 40-38 and just have sat on the ball late or have been down 37-38 and the Eagles would not have been able to pin their ears back and rush. The run game would still have been alive as a FG was all we needed.

Rams - missed a 47 yard kick early in the game. Also they passed up on a 51 yard chance.

I don't think you can just shrug these off. This is a consistent trend that shows the bigger the game the more shaky he gets.

In the last 4 years they have been in 11 playoff games. Of these 11 games 6 were competitive and 5 were not.

In the 5 non-competitive games he missed 1 XP and 1 FG (from 53 yards).
In the 6 competitive games he missed 3 XPs and 2 FGs (from 19 and 47 yards) Not to mentioned they passed up on a few makable kicks in lieu of going for it.

He was only perfect in 2 competitive games (Jags and KC AFCCG). In these games he was asked to make 7 XPs and 2 FGs (49 yards vs KC and 19 vs Jags). I guess you need to give him props for that 49 yarder; then again it was 14-0 at the time so not much pressure within the context.

I am not trying to dump on Gost but can we not pretend that there isn't an issue here that has persisted for YEARS in big games.

If you trust him to make a big kick in a close playoff game then clearly you haven't been paying attention. If you want the Pats to win another super bowl then it should seriously be discussed if using 4M on Gost is the best way to do. If you think he is going to miss at least 1 XP or 1 FG in a close playoff game or super bowl where those points come at a premium in tight games I just don't see why this can't be a debate.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Think a couple might have tried but they woke up with a horses head in there bed and thought otherwise.

 

[luuked]

I am fine with letting Gost walk. The simply matter of the fact is I just don't trust him. He has missed at least 1 kick in the super bowl 4 times in a row. Not mention the Denver playoff game. That is 4 runs in a row that when the big moment have come around he has missed and they were all makable kicks.

Not this **** again. One of the best kickers in the league and thanks to his kickoff ability more valuable than his predecessor but because the entire team ****ed up the Denver game and the Eagles SB he becomes a scapegoat.

You might have a point if at some point we play an almost perfect game at every other spot than kicking and then lose the game due to a miss. But for every game you mention that we lost I can give you at least 2-3 more impactful screwups than missed XPs or missed FGs starting with that seemingly infallible GOAT QB of ours.

And maybe most importantly. Why would you introduce volatility into a position that is mostly solved. Have you seen how some of the supposedly highly regarded younger kickers mentally totally melt away nowadays ? Or do you just assume that his successor will be someone on the level of Tucker ?

 

[TennisBallHead]

He sucks. Get a new kicker. Even the one he made was shaky.

 

[manxman2601]

I have said recently and it has proven to be an unpopular opinion, but I stand by it.

I am fine with letting Gost walk. The simple matter of the fact is I just don't trust him. He has missed at least 1 kick in the super bowl 3 times in a row. Not mention the Denver playoff game. That is 4 runs in a row that when the big moment has come around he has missed; and they were all makable kicks.

It's sad cause until 2015 he was absolute nails in the playoffs mostly.

Bronco - missed XP - forces the Pats to go for a 2PT conv and fail as opposed to going to OT.

Falcons - missed XP - forces the Pats to go for not 1 but 2 2PT conv. They get both but it made it a lot harder.

Eagles - Missed XP and FG (and passed up on a 55 yard kick cause they didn't trust their kicker). They could have been up 40-38 and just have sat on the ball late or have been down 37-38 and the Eagles would not have been able to pin their ears back and rush. The run game would still have been alive as a FG was all we needed.

Rams - missed a 47 yard kick early in the game. Also they passed up on a 51 yard chance.

I don't think you can just shrug these off. This is a consistent trend that shows the bigger the game the more shaky he gets.

In the last 4 years they have been in 11 playoff games. Of these 11 games 6 were competitive and 5 were not.

In the 5 non-competitive games he missed 1 XP and 1 FG (from 53 yards).
In the 6 competitive games he missed 3 XPs and 2 FGs (from 19 and 47 yards) Not to mentioned they passed up on a few makable kicks in lieu of going for it.

He was only perfect in 2 competitive games (Jags and KC AFCCG). In these games he was asked to make 7 XPs and 2 FGs (49 yards vs KC and 19 vs Jags). I guess you need to give him props for that 49 yarder; then again it was 14-0 at the time so not much pressure within the context.

I am not trying to dump on Gost but can we not pretend that there isn't an issue here that has persisted for YEARS in big games.

If you trust him to make a big kick in a close playoff game then clearly you haven't been paying attention. If you want the Pats to win another super bowl then it should seriously be discussed if using 4M on Gost is the best way to do. If you think he is going to miss at least 1 XP or 1 FG in a close playoff game or super bowl where those points come at a premium in tight games I just don't see why this can't be a debate.

My only question would be, can you be sure his replacement would be more reliable? That’s what would concern me with bringing in someone new. Ghost has had some fluffs in big spots, albeit not always costly, but overall, he’s still largely a reliable kicker with some good pop in his foot. Not necessarily easy to replace.

 

[BobDigital]

Not this **** again. One of the best kickers in the league and thanks to his kickoff ability more valuable than his predecessor but because the entire team ****ed up the Denver game and the Eagles SB he becomes a scapegoat.

You might have a point if at some point we play an almost perfect game at every other spot than kicking and then lose the game due to a miss. But for every game you mention that we lost I can give you at least 2-3 more impactful screwups than missed XPs or missed FGs starting with that seemingly infallible GOAT QB of ours.

And maybe most importantly. Why would you introduce volatility into a position that is mostly solved. Have you seen how some of the supposedly highly regarded younger kickers mentally totally melt away nowadays ? Or do you just assume that his successor will be someone on the level of Tucker ?

It is true. There is a risk involved in getting a new kicker. Right now I think you know what you have in Gost. A kicker who boots it out the back of the endzone and is one of the best regular season kickers (under 50 yards) in the NFL.

When the playoffs come around he is good for about 1 miss every big game. If that is something you think you can live with sign him. For most teams it would be fine. For the Patriots who will likely be in 1-2 big games in the playoffs this year it gives me pause.

Yes we might end up in a worst situation if we move on from Gost. But if our goal is to win the SB then only a kicker who would completely melt down in those big games in tight spots is worse. Personally I am happy to role the dice and save 4M on a draft pick (or 1-2M on a free agent who is a known). If you are not that is a reasonable argument I guess. But I refuse to let someone tell me there isn't a problem and that we should just throw money at Gost with our full confidence.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

I have a love-hate relationship with Ghost. He is a reliable kicker and has a big foot on kickoffs. He has a good % of kicks and PAT’s made but he never seems to put them down the middle. Every time he kicks my body language has me always leaning to one side as he sneaks the kick in. That being said I would rather have him then go back to a Missen Sisson nightmare again. That puts your whole season in turmoil. Just because a kicker was good in College doesn’t always mean they will not go into a funk. I’ll take the safe route if he comes at a good price.

 

[BobDigital]

My only question would be, can you be sure his replacement would be more reliable? That’s what would concern me with bringing in someone new. Ghost has had some fluffs in big spots, albeit not always costly, but overall, he’s still largely a reliable kicker with some good pop in his foot. Not necessarily easy to replace.

No, I can't say his replacement will be more reliable. That is the question right? : P

The way I see it there are 4 options.

1 - He is more reliable and we save money.
2 - He is equally reliable and we save money.
3 - He is less reliable but the money we can use elsewhere is a value add.
4 - He is less reliable and the money we can use elsewhere is a value loss.

I am not saying all options are equally likely but I am okay rolling the dice here. Now if Gost wants to come back at a pay cut that could work too. But if someone tells me we need to bring Gost back AND make him one of the highest paid kickers in the NFL then I am totally against it.

No way. He simply doesn't deserve to be paid top market. His performance hasn't demonstrated that IMO.

And it seems 31 other GMs agree as well seeing as no one has jumped on him yet.

 

[luuked]

When the playoffs come around he is good for about 1 miss every big game. If that is something you think you can live with sign him. For most teams it would be fine. For the Patriots who will likely be in 1-2 big games in the playoffs this year it gives me pause.

Look I understand where you are coming from. But lets not pretend Vinatieri (or any other kicker in history) was perfect in the postseason. That's the thing with percentages. Even if you have a kicker who makes it 95% of the time he will still miss sometimes.

And this can happen at irrelevant junctions or at very relevant ones. The same way that a QB will throw INTs, receivers will drop easy completions and RBs might fumble the ball.

The thing that makes it clear that his teammates and coaching staff trusts him is the scene from this SB where Brady essentially said "what are we talking about here, lets kick it" with no hesitation.

And in the end he made the absolute clutch kick in the SB this year when we needed him. Just like his predecessor.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

He sucks. Get a new kicker. Even the one he made was shaky.

Yup, have no idea how he’s made the roster for 13 straight seasons. You should ask BB what the hell hes been thinking.

 

[BobDigital]

Look I understand where you are coming from. But lets not pretend Vinatieri (or any other kicker in history) was perfect in the postseason. That's the thing with percentages. Even if you have a kicker who makes it 95% of the time he will still miss sometimes.

And this can happen at irrelevant junctions or at very relevant ones. The same way that a QB will throw INTs, receivers will drop easy completions and RBs might fumble the ball.

The thing that makes it clear that his teammates and coaching staff trusts him is the scene from this SB where Brady essentially said "what are we talking about here, lets kick it" with no hesitation.

And in the end he made the absolute clutch kick in the SB this year when we needed him. Just like his predecessor.

I know all players screw up including kickers. But you bring up an interesting point. Yes Brady wanted them to kick it. It was at the 24 yard line (so a 42 yard kick).

The fact BB hesitated there is pretty shocking. He had a chance to go up 2 score with ONLY a 42 yard kick and thought of trying to get that half yard vs a D that had been pretty solid all day.

Why did he hesitate to try to make it a 2 score game? There is only one reason in my mind. He was thinking, 'what if Gost misses?'

The coach didn't fully instantly trust his kicker to make a routine 42 yarder in a dome and thought of rolling the dice. I think that is a WAY under played story.

 

[manxman2601]

No, I can't say his replacement will be more reliable. That is the question right? : P

The way I see it there are 4 options.

1 - He is more reliable and we save money.
2 - He is equally reliable and we save money.
3 - He is less reliable but the money we can use elsewhere is a value add.
4 - He is less reliable and the money we can use elsewhere is a value loss.

I am not saying all options are equally likely but I am okay rolling the dice here. Now if Gost wants to come back at a pay cut that could work too. But if someone tells me we need to bring Gost back AND make him one of the highest paid kickers in the NFL then I am totally against it.

No way. He simply doesn't deserve to be paid top market. His performance hasn't demonstrated that IMO.

And it seems 31 other GMs agree as well seeing as no one has jumped on him yet.

Fair enough. Maybe it’s my conservative nature, but for me, better the devil you know. To be honest, I’ve done zero scouting of kickers in the draft so this is one I’ll just wait on to see what happens. It’s just that I know what I’m getting with Ghost and I’m comfortable with that (albeit with crossed fingers at times).

 

[BobDigital]

Fair enough. Maybe it’s my conservative nature, but for me, better the devil you know. To be honest, I’ve done zero scouting of kickers in the draft so this is one I’ll just wait on to see what happens. It’s just that I know what I’m getting with Ghost and I’m comfortable with that (albeit with crossed fingers at times).

That is a fair position to have. I just feel differently. BTW in the draft there is 1 kicker worth having but he doesn't have the upside Gost did when we drafted him to be totally honest. Maybe a free agent would be better or maybe not.

 

[Jackson 2]

Time to move on. And I've loved the guy.

 

[TheBeers]

the lack of news to me, means they are trying to bring him back. Dude’s one of the better kickers in a league full of ****ty kickers. I just don’t get the hate

 

[Hyped]

While I'd like Ghost back....I want him back at a reasonable contract....anything less than the FT amount which was around 5M, IIRC is a good thing. Also, a deal with less than 3 years too....as I think Ghost's leg is getting weaker.

If not, gimme a rookie kicker who can kick it into the EZ or high ball it to the one yard line....but at least have 100% accuracy inside 35 yards and 70% outside.

BTW, don't shoot me now...but Nick Folk is doing OK in the AAF........and would only cost the vet minimum since being put on I/R by the Bucs back in 2017......