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Kicker options for the Buccaneers after Nick Folk’s TNF breakdown

By Sayre Bedinger

TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 5: Kicker Nick Folk
TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 5: Kicker Nick Folk /
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to be in search of a new kicker after Nick Folk’s absolute breakdown on Thursday night. Where to go from here?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers thought it couldn’t get any worse at the kicker position after using a second round draft choice on Roberto Aguayo, who was cut this year in favor of veteran Nick Folk.

The decision to go with Folk hasn’t exactly worked out well for the Buccaneers, especially after watching Folk be the difference (in a bad way) in their loss to New England on Thursday Night Football.

Folk had already missed two field goals going into the game against the Patriots, and proceeded to miss three more kicks that could have been the difference in a five-point loss.

One of the kicks was a 56-yarder before halftime, into the wind, so the miss there is at least reasonable. But Folk missed some easy kicks later in the game and botched an onside kick attempt as the Buccaneers attempted to come back late.

Here are some options the Buccaneers could consider to replace their kicking woes.

1. Cairo Santos

The Kansas City Chiefs placed Santos on injured reserve, but waived him off of that list when it was determined his injury wasn’t expected to be season-ending. The Buccaneers will likely hold tryouts for their kicker position if/when Folk is let go, but Santos has to be the odds-on favorite to get the job. He made 88.6 percent of his kicks a season ago.

2. Younghoe Koo

Koo was unlucky in week one for the Chargers against the Broncos, having a timeout called on a game-tying field goal (which he initially made) and having the next attempt blocked. That was followed up with a game-winning opportunity that was missed the following week.

The Chargers lost their patience with their rookie kicker, even at 0-4 with many other individual players to blame. Koo has some serious kicking talent and should get a second chance soon enough. Perhaps it will be in Tampa Bay.

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3. Mike Nugent

It feels like Mike Nugent — another former second round kicker — would be a decent veteran option for the Bucs at this point if things don’t work out with someone like Cairo Santos. Nugent’s recent struggles extend beyond just field goals and into extra points. He missed six extra points last year.

It appeared he had gotten things back on track this preseason, but lost a kicking battle with the New York Giants.

4. Roberto Aguayo

I’m not sure if Aguayo’s image is damaged beyond repair in Tampa Bay, but there has to be some sort of redemption story waiting to be written here. Many young kickers struggle with accuracy early on. In fact, some of the best kickers in the league were initially cut before they got their stable jobs with a second team.

Specifically, I think of Brandon McManus of the Denver Broncos, whose accuracy issues forced the team to sign Connor Barth in 2014. Now, McManus is one of the highest paid kickers in the league.

Unfortunately, the Bucs don’t have the ability to afford Aguayo patience right now, so this is perhaps the longest of longshots.

Still, after what we just saw from Nick Folk, Aguayo couldn’t possibly be worse.

5. Andrew Franks

Recently let go by the Miami Dolphins in favor of Cody Parkey, the pride of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is looking for a new home.

Franks missed five of his 21 field goal attempts a season ago, but wasn’t bad enough to be jobless in the NFL where apparently kicking has become a lost art form. He should definitely be considered if/when the Bucs go shopping for a kicker, as he’s only 24 and has already made his home in the state of Florida.

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