Report: Patriots Working Out Free-Agent Kickers Amid Stephen Gostkowski's Struggles
BOSTON (CBS) -- Stephen Gostkowksi is the fourth-most accurate field goal kicker of all time. But with four missed PATs, plus a missed field goal through four games this year, the veteran kicker is off to a rough start in 2019.
It's likely due to those five missed kicks that the Patriots decided to bring in some free-agent kickers on Wednesday. According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, who reported the news, the workouts could be to keep a fresh list of available players in need of emergency. But it also could be tied to Gostkowski's struggles.
The Patriots are working out some free-agent kickers today, which is consistent with their due-diligence approach at all positions to keep emergency lists updated. Veteran Stephen Gostkowski has missed four P.A.T.s this year, which adds a layer of context to the kicker workouts.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 2, 2019
Gostkowski has missed at least one PAT in each of the last three games, including two missed PATs in Week 2's win over the Dolphins.
Gostkowski, 35, was an unrestricted free agent this past offseason, after he went 25-for-27 on field goals under 50 yards and 27-for-32 on PATs last year in the regular season. He was 10-for-10 on PATs and 5-for-6 on field goals during the Patriots' run through Super Bowl LIII, and he drilled the game-sealing 41-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 10-point lead over the Rams with 72 seconds left in that Super Bowl.
Gostkowski signed a two-year deal with the Patriots in April. He is the Patriots' all-time leader in points scored with 1,775, owning a significant lead over Adam Vinatieri, who's second on the list with 1,158. He likewise owns the franchise record for field goals made with 374, which is again significantly higher than Vinatieri's 263 successful kicks.
Update: Later on Wednesday, the Patriots placed Gostkowski on injured reserve.