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 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Record | Points |
2017 | Los Angeles Rams | 11-5 | 168 |
2011 | San Francisco 49ers | 13-3 | 166 |
2017 | Kansas City | 10-6 | 163 |
2003 | St. Louis Rams | 12-4 | 163 |
2016 | Atlanta Falcons | 11-5 | 158 |
2013 | New England Patriots | 12-4 | 158 |
2003 | Indianapolis Colts | 12-4 | 157 |
2017 | New England Patriots | 13-3 | 156 |
2014 | New England Patriots | 12-4 | 156 |
2018 | Los Angeles Rams | 13-3 | 153 |
2012 | New England Patriots | 12-4 | 153 |
2015 | New England Patriots | 12-4 | 151 |
2013 | Denver Broncos | 13-3 | 150 |
2018 | Houston Texans | 11-5 | 150 |
2014 | Philadelphia Eagles | 10-6 | 150 |
2005 | Arizona Cardinals | 5-11 | 149 |
2008 | New York Giants | 12-4 | 149 |
2008 | New England Patriots | 11-5 | 148 |
2005 | New York Giants | 11-5 | 148 |
2011 | New Orleans Saints | 13-3 | 147 |
2015 | Carolina Panthers | 15-1 | 146 |
2009 | San Diego Chargers | 13-3 | 146 |
2012 | New York Giants | 9-7 | 145 |
2017 | San Francisco 49ers | 6-10 | 145 |
2008 | Philadelphia Eagles | 9-6-1 | 144 |
2013 | San Diego Chargers | 9-7 | 144 |
2012 | Atlanta Falcons | 13-3 | 143 |
2006 | Chicago Bears | 13-3 | 143 |
2011 | New England Patriots | 13-3 | 143 |
2010 | Philadelphia Eagles | 10-6 | 143 |
2013 | Seattle Seahawks | 13-3 | 143 |
2010 | Oakland Raiders | 8-8 | 142 |
2017 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 13-3 | 142 |
2018 | Baltimore Ravens | 10-6 | 141 |
2017 | Baltimore Ravens | 9-7 | 141 |
2016 | Baltimore Ravens | 8-8 | 141 |
2013 | Green Bay Packers | 8-7-1 | 141 |
2007 | Green Bay Packers | 13-3 | 141 |
2012 | Minnesota Vikings | 10-6 | 141 |
2004 | New England Patriots | 14-2 | 141 |
2013 | Baltimore Ravens | 8-8 | 140 |
2011 | Green Bay Packers | 15-1 | 140 |
2014 | Indianapolis Colts | 11-5 | 140 |
2017 | New Orleans Saints | 11-5 | 140 |
2013 | San Francisco 49ers | 12-4 | 140 |
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) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Player | FG | FGA | Pct |
Robbie Gould | 124 | 136 | 91.2% |
Stephen Gostkowski | 159 | 177 | 89.8% |
Justin Tucker | 169 | 189 | 89.4% |
Adam Vinatieri | 134 | 150 | 89.3% |
Matt Bryant | 131 | 147 | 89.1% |
Wil Lutz | 87 | 100 | 87.0% |
Stephen Hauschka | 144 | 166 | 86.7% |
Ryan Succop | 116 | 134 | 86.6% |
Matt Prater | 132 | 153 | 86.3% |
Josh Lambo | 90 | 105 | 85.7% |
Randy Bullock | 94 | 110 | 85.5% |
Dustin Hopkins | 99 | 116 | 85.3% |
Chris Boswell | 98 | 115 | 85.2% |
Graham Gano | 132 | 155 | 85.2% |
Kai Forbath | 85 | 100 | 85.0% |
Jason Myers | 97 | 115 | 84.3% |
Cody Parkey | 99 | 118 | 83.9% |
Chandler Catanzaro | 119 | 142 | 83.8% |
Dan Bailey | 118 | 141 | 83.7% |
Greg Zuerlein | 128 | 153 | 83.7% |
Cairo Santos | 104 | 125 | 83.2% |
Nick Novak | 84 | 101 | 83.2% |
Mason Crosby | 122 | 147 | 83.0% |
Sebastian Janikowski | 91 | 110 | 82.7% |
Phil Dawson | 104 | 127 | 81.9% |
Mike Nugent | 89 | 109 | 81.7% |
Caleb Sturgis | 94 | 116 | 81.0% |
Brandon McManus | 112 | 139 | 80.6% |
Blair Walsh | 93 | 119 | 78.2% |
—Ian Allan