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Guestkowski

Nugent will kick for Patriots

The Patriots have picked a replacement for Stephen Gostkowski, and it’s a pretty uninspiring choice. Mike Nugent has had problems with accuracy for his entire career. But he still looks like a probable top-5 kicker going forward.

With kickers, it’s the supporting cast that tends to drive the bus. The teams that move the ball and score points naturally get their kickers on the field for more scoring chances. If a kicker’s on a team that’s going to win 13-plus games, he’s very much in the running to be one of the highest scorers at his position.

Since 2000, there have been 11 teams that have scored more than 150 kicking points. Gostkowski has authored five of those seasons.

TEAMS WITH 140 KICKING POINTS
YearTeamRecordPoints
2017Los Angeles Rams11-5168
2011San Francisco 49ers13-3166
2017Kansas City10-6163
2003St. Louis Rams12-4163
2016Atlanta Falcons11-5158
2013New England Patriots12-4158
2003Indianapolis Colts12-4157
2017New England Patriots13-3156
2014New England Patriots12-4156
2018Los Angeles Rams13-3153
2012New England Patriots12-4153
2015New England Patriots12-4151
2013Denver Broncos13-3150
2018Houston Texans11-5150
2014Philadelphia Eagles10-6150
2005Arizona Cardinals5-11149
2008New York Giants12-4149
2008New England Patriots11-5148
2005New York Giants11-5148
2011New Orleans Saints13-3147
2015Carolina Panthers15-1146
2009San Diego Chargers13-3146
2012New York Giants9-7145
2017San Francisco 49ers6-10145
2008Philadelphia Eagles9-6-1144
2013San Diego Chargers9-7144
2012Atlanta Falcons13-3143
2006Chicago Bears13-3143
2011New England Patriots13-3143
2010Philadelphia Eagles10-6143
2013Seattle Seahawks13-3143
2010Oakland Raiders8-8142
2017Pittsburgh Steelers13-3142
2018Baltimore Ravens10-6141
2017Baltimore Ravens9-7141
2016Baltimore Ravens8-8141
2013Green Bay Packers8-7-1141
2007Green Bay Packers13-3141
2012Minnesota Vikings10-6141
2004New England Patriots14-2141
2013Baltimore Ravens8-8140
2011Green Bay Packers15-1140
2014Indianapolis Colts11-5140
2017New Orleans Saints11-5140
2013San Francisco 49ers12-4140

Now Nugent, a 37-year-old who was a second-round pick back in 2005, gets a shot at that role. Assuming he can do a decent job of knocking in the kicks, he should be one of the best kickers in the remaining 13 weeks of the seasons.

But Nugent will need to perform. For the vast majority of his career, he hasn’t been quite good enough at it. That’s why he’s been with eight different teams over the last 15 years.

Since 2015, 29 kickers have attempted at least 100 field goals. Only three have been less accurate than Nugent (and two of those kickers are no longer in the league).

FIELD GOAL ACCURACY (last 5 years)
PlayerFGFGAPct
Robbie Gould12413691.2%
Stephen Gostkowski15917789.8%
Justin Tucker16918989.4%
Adam Vinatieri13415089.3%
Matt Bryant13114789.1%
Wil Lutz8710087.0%
Stephen Hauschka14416686.7%
Ryan Succop11613486.6%
Matt Prater13215386.3%
Josh Lambo9010585.7%
Randy Bullock9411085.5%
Dustin Hopkins9911685.3%
Chris Boswell9811585.2%
Graham Gano13215585.2%
Kai Forbath8510085.0%
Jason Myers9711584.3%
Cody Parkey9911883.9%
Chandler Catanzaro11914283.8%
Dan Bailey11814183.7%
Greg Zuerlein12815383.7%
Cairo Santos10412583.2%
Nick Novak8410183.2%
Mason Crosby12214783.0%
Sebastian Janikowski9111082.7%
Phil Dawson10412781.9%
Mike Nugent8910981.7%
Caleb Sturgis9411681.0%
Brandon McManus11213980.6%
Blair Walsh9311978.2%

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index