Schedule Could Seal The Job For Nick Folk
March 19th, 2017
Will Dirk Koetter play weatherman?
Joe can’t stop thinking about the Bucs’ bold and wise signing of 10-year veteran kicker Nick Folk, the former Pro Bowler and the most accurate kicker in Jets history.
What a bullhorn blast through the walls of One Buc Palace, as Joe wrote this morning.
If both kickers perform well in training camp, one could speculate Roberto Aguayo would win the job, since he’s young and last year’s second-round draft pick.
However, Joe keeps thinking about the Bucs’ schedule, which will be finalized and released next month.
Tampa Bay definitely has games at Buffalo and at Green Bay. If those are scheduled in, say, November and December, then Joe thinks that could tip the scales in favor of Folk, who has loads of experience in lousy conditions.
Deeper research reveals Folk missed just one — ONE! — field goal last season that actually got in the air, per the Jets’ official website. He had three blocked.
“I want a few kicks back, but overall it was pretty good,” he said. “We had a first-time holder. Lac [Edwards] did a good job for me and Tanner [Purdum] did a good job.”
…“It depends on a lot of things really,” said Folk on what leads to a block. “From snap to kick we try to get it off in about 1.3 seconds and sometimes it’s a low kick. We were back a couple times this year, like the Baltimore and New England games. They were 50-plus kicks into the wind that needed a bit of a drive ball to get it there.
Interesting times at One Buc Palace.
Who knew kicking could be so exciting? Thanks, Roberto.
March 19th, 2017 at 11:28 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A2WXEjOl4Y
It’s me Roberto!
March 19th, 2017 at 11:35 am
He was good in lousy cold weather which is huge.
I would have to think kickers ideal weather conditions are like the weather we
Get here in Florida. (Minus rain of course).
Maybe his numbers/accuracy/distance even better with Tampa heat if he beats out aguayo.
Kickers play intotheir 30’s. Look at Matt Bryant who is still a boss for the falcOns at 40. Great move by bucs.
Can imagine aguayo kicking field goals as I am typing this message right now
March 19th, 2017 at 11:36 am
Blake- that’s hilarious. Nice waterboy reference
March 19th, 2017 at 11:37 am
Joe
Why the worry about why the Skins released Baker but no worry about why the Jets released Folk?
Has any reason been given in the NY media? Was he a cap casualty? Why wouldn’t the Jets want to keep the best kicker in their history?
March 19th, 2017 at 11:46 am
Aguayo will be the Mike Glennon of the kickers
March 19th, 2017 at 11:50 am
I like Aguayo and want him to do well, but some of us just can’t let go of the fact that the Bucs wasted two picks on a kicker. I used to get frustrated at Gruden and Allen for spending early round draft picks on starters, taking the rest of the draft off, and pick mainly for special teams, but what was done with Aguayo takes that draft strategy to a whole new level. Let’s hope the Bucs can work a little magic in this year’s draft and somehow recoup those picks. Multiple needs, multiple areas!
March 19th, 2017 at 11:51 am
Before everyone gets excited about the “second coming” consider that Folk was released by a third tier team. The Jets didn’t want him! There must be a reason that we don’t know yet.
March 19th, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Remember: Not only did Jason Licht draft a kicker in the 2nd round last year (using 2 picks to do it), he also failed to bring in any serious wide receiver talent through free agency or the draft. I like Licht but this borders on unforgivable
March 19th, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Just think if we still had Matt Bryant…
Another stellar move by Joe’s rockstar!
March 19th, 2017 at 12:23 pm
This is a year late….should have brang in competition last year! Build A Wall…..but not in Mexico dumb a$$!!
March 19th, 2017 at 12:40 pm
Because the Jets are the worst team the last 30 years not named the Browns? Why haven’t the Bucs released Aguayp is the big question.Why did we release Matt Bryant? Dumb teams make dumb moves. Two of his misses were beyond 50, his first PAT misses of his entire career were last year, with a new holder and long snapper. You guys will defend a Florida college guy until death, but someone outside of the state college system, you’re quick to get rid of. This guy is terrible, and with added pressure, probably will be worse.
March 19th, 2017 at 12:42 pm
Yeah, cause Seminole Bill doesn’t have mixed loyalties. This is Joe Buc fan, not Joe Seminole fan, not Joe Gator fan. If you want to defend ypur college over pro team, go hang out on a college website.
March 19th, 2017 at 12:42 pm
@Stpete
I read articles about Nick Folk being let go and a lot of the comments are Jets fans asking the same question you are lol
March 19th, 2017 at 12:47 pm
Let’s see…the Giants did not resign Robert Ayers and he turned out pretty good. The Dolphins did not resign Grimes and he turned out pretty good…The Chargers did not resign Vincent Jackson and he turned out pretty good. I think this website at times is just flat out paranoid.
March 19th, 2017 at 12:51 pm
Why did the most accurate kicker in Jets history get third price ?
March 19th, 2017 at 1:08 pm
So in the last article you say Baker has a red flag cause he didn’t get resigned by his team, now in this article you are celebrating a guy that was cut by his team? Double standard much?
If you want to equate a kicker with a field player, feel free, but Joe isn’t going to pretend it’s the same thing. Also, Baker was paid big $$ to start. Folk is here to compete against the worst kicker in the NFL last year. Huge difference. –Joe
March 19th, 2017 at 1:11 pm
Chris, I don’t see people on here defending Aguayo. If anything it’s the opposite. I’m a Nole fan, and if he can’t beat out Folk, I want him gone, as does 87. I think you might have a little anti-Florida college teams bias. I like Aguayo, but I won’t make excuses for him. I’m a Bucs fan first. I HATE Penn State, but I like Donovan Smith. Why? Cause he’s a Buc. I love FSU, but I hate Kelvin Benjamin. Why? Cause he’s a Panther. Nuff said!
March 19th, 2017 at 1:11 pm
Comparing the last season of a 10 year bet to the one year of a rookie shows your agenda so I really have to say how stupid it sounds? Bucs have a give window and you’re talking about 2 games in the cold of next year? Bucs are making a move for the old guy because this is the year we make the SuperBowl?
March 19th, 2017 at 1:19 pm
Pat – we still won 9 games with the WR corps you focus on…It was the running game that failed us in the end of last season.
March 19th, 2017 at 1:34 pm
Yeah aguayo just lost his job
March 19th, 2017 at 1:55 pm
@MJB
I understand your point. My point is that Licht neglected a needed position altogether last off season (nobody, at that point knew what their record would end up being). The GM’s job is to properly equip the team with needed talent. The Joe’s did a good job of pointing out the deficit at Receiver after the 2015 season. Licht did exactly nothing in FA or the draft last year. In fact, it could be argued using your point about last years 9-7 record that with better personnel at WR they would have won even more and made the playoffs last year. I believe the Joe’s (and I tend to agree) have made this exact point.
March 19th, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Stpetebucsfan Says
“Why the worry about why the Skins released Baker but no worry about why the Jets released Folk?”
/signed.
March 19th, 2017 at 3:37 pm
Well to be honest we still need one more high quality receiver whether it be a trade, or through the draft. We are one injury away from being in the same boat minus a R. Shep.
March 19th, 2017 at 4:18 pm
Sweet old fashioned competition!!
March 19th, 2017 at 4:25 pm
Best line in the article Joe … “Interesting times at One Buc Palace.” A scant 3 yrs ago at this time the Glazers hired Lovie Smith to ‘fix the Bucs’. And fix ’em he did, starting with a purge of some pretty decent players & progressing to the signing of a batch of FAs who are now long gone (as is Lovie of course). That first yr (2014) was obviously a lost yr (unless one considers a 2-14 record a mark of success) except that in the process Bucs gained the top pick for 2015 … enter Jameis, followed by Ali Marpet, Donovan Smith & Kwon Alexander AND Dirk Koetter. 2015’s record was better (6-10) but still dismal, except that in the process Bucs gained VHIII, Noah Spence AND Mike Smith. And oh ya, a new HC. All that led to a much-improved 9-7 record in 2016 with more to come.
Point being … these have been not only interesting times at One Buc Palace, but also productive times. Bucs fans have gotten so used to losing that far many have become paranoid, waiting for the next bad thing to befall us. And it’s not just the fans, it’s the Tampa Bay media in general. Bucs are building something really neat here but greatness isn’t created overnight obviously. This coming draft, if done well, could provide us the needed pieces to hopefully improve on last season’s 9-7 record. The best is yet to come.
March 19th, 2017 at 4:41 pm
Defense, our next 2 drafts are huge. We are at the point now where, while we have positions that can be upgraded, we have no obvious holes with RB being an exception if you think Doug won’t restructure his deal if his problems are over. The way I see it, if we can draft a RB, WR, C, RT, DE, DT, CB, and S with our first 4 picks the next 2 drafts, we can be like Green Bay and resign our own players and limit our free agency acquisitions. We just need to keep hitting on our early picks and the sky’s the limit!
March 19th, 2017 at 5:10 pm
BuccaneEric75, couldn’t agree more. The only issue that comes into play is that it’s really hard to hit on 8 of 8 picks. But then again, there’s always free agency as a stopgap measure. Oops … bridge.
March 19th, 2017 at 5:29 pm
Well if Folk was any good why would the Jets release him? I mean historically he was pretty good – and kickers age doesn’t matter nearly as much as anywhere else on the field, but short of a Matt Bryan type of moronic move by the Jets, why would they let a guy go who had one miss, that was his fault, on the season?
I think kicker will be fine and will have a nice second season – again historically rookie kickers generally stink, even the all-time greats, then they have a good (not great) second season before firmly establishing themselves in year three. Not saying kicker will be an all-time great, but anyone who didn’t expect him to not have a rocky rookie season probably thinks every rookie WR is a star in year one or a complete bust.
If kicker doesn’t came back strong and have a good camp, then cut them – but kicker cost us zero games last year and made his kicks that won games, so that does matter a little, he wasn’t wilting under pressure, he just wasn’t very good when there wasn’t pressure. So now that there is pressure lets see what happens. Personally I didn’t like the pick of kicker in the 2nd round, but unlike most of the so-call fans despite that I still want the guy to succeed and be here for 15 years – I’d rather have that happen then being able to bore my friends about how I was right about the pick when everyone was praising it. Oh right, no one was praising it and you’re a bore.
March 19th, 2017 at 5:46 pm
Sorry guys, I really do like Roberto. But its like the guy at work how goes from the assembly line and is promoted to Mngt. Some..Just don’t got it! Same with college ballers. Roberto for whatever reason cannot move up. HE might in 2 or 3 yrs. But our Bucs cannot wait that long. Shout out to Billy Joel..Roberto can you handle..PRESSURE?! We shall soon see. I think not.
March 19th, 2017 at 5:59 pm
Mike Johnson – I agree with you, I think in year 3 he’ll be quite good – but I certainly could be wrong. Last year all season I thought the Bucs should figure out a way to have to place kicker on the IR, like lets say he showed up at practice one day and coughed, that could be HIV so they should have used that as an excuse to play it safe, put him on IR, and make sure that wasn’t the case. This year I think kicker will be good, but not great, and if Foles is great then the Bucs should have someone drop a weight on kickers hand so he can go on IR. Not really sure why but kickers are all mental cases for the most part, and magically, but just sitting out, they can turn it all around overnight.
Foles meanwhile, if he was any good, the Jets wouldn’t have let him go or he would have been snatched up on day one. But then again the Bucs let Matt Bryan go and there wasn’t a huge rush to sign him by anyone else – so it can happen that an old kicker, who is good but not great, can just sit out there and get scooped up and then become a great kicker that kicks for another decade after getting cut.
March 19th, 2017 at 6:09 pm
Defense, I agree. I’m hoping to hit on 4 and the other 4 are just solid. That would be a great 2 drafts if it worked out that way. I would try to trade down a few spots in each round for extra picks. More lotto tickets!
March 19th, 2017 at 6:27 pm
Do away with kicking. Let each team put up a player for the Oklahoma drill. If your guy wins its a PAT.
Much more exciting.
March 19th, 2017 at 6:58 pm
Kicker is a position that tends to be in need a lot during season; see the kyle brenza fiasco. Even if he does lose out I’d keep them both because aguayo will be worth a lot more during season than during preseason.
March 19th, 2017 at 7:34 pm
Joe, with all due respect, baker isn’t paid an astronomical number. His wage rate for DTs is pretty average it’s not like he’s even sniffing the top 30 paid DTs. If any player cut or not re signed is a red flag then the same goes for kickers. What is the reason for booting a very successful kicker? There has to be some reason. until the reason is known, we might as well assume it is something negative on the player, since that is what you did with Baker.
March 19th, 2017 at 7:41 pm
With all the needs this team had it still chaps my ass the players we passed on to take a freaking kicker
March 19th, 2017 at 9:29 pm
“Schedule Could Seal The Job For Nick Folk”
So could sucking at keeking field goals…incidentally
March 20th, 2017 at 12:55 am
Folk had 4 crappy years in a row with NYJ think percentage was that of Roberto rookie year. NYJ kept him and he got better after those 4 years.
team and percentage below:
2016 New York Jets
87.1
2015 New York Jets
81.3
2014 New York Jets
82.1
2013 New York Jets
91.7
2012 New York Jets
77.8
2011 New York Jets
76.0
2010 New York Jets
76.9
2009 Dallas Cowboys
64.3
Let them compete and see and give it to winner.
Folk so great how come other teams were not after him ?
March 20th, 2017 at 1:29 pm
Stop talking about giving up TWO picks to get him. We received one of those picks via trade by moving back two spots and taking the player they targeted the whole time. As for that traded pick that you guys treat as gold, the guy that was drafted with that pick was cut before the season even started. He ended up getting signed by another team and accounted for THREE tackles last year. So Licht leveraged that extra pick he got to go get the best place kicker in NCAA history. Aguayo has been a disappointment but I don’t give a sh!t that we gave away that pick. Just ask the fans of that team that got that pick if they are in favor of it.
March 20th, 2017 at 1:41 pm
There’s a third option here. If Aguayo continues to struggle in the preseason, he could come down with a mystery injury and end up getting stashed on IR for the 2017 season. Frankly, many of us are shocked that didn’t happen in 2016. That single move might have been enough to win one more game and make the playoffs.