The defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots are keeping a key cog in their dynasty run.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Patriots have signed kicker Stephen Gostkowski to a two-year contract worth $8.5 million. It was somewhat of a surprise that Gostkowski lasted four weeks on the free-agent market. Perhaps the Gostkowski deal was triggered by reports that San Francisco was interested in signing the kicker.
He has long been one of the NFL’s most dynamic and most reliable placekickers. Gostkowski, 35, has been with New England since 2006 when Bill Belichick made him a fourth-round draft pick out of Memphis. He has been part of three Super Bowl titles with New England. Gostkowski has made the Pro Bowl four times (2008, 2013-15) and was named All-Pro twice, with the last time coming in 2015. He was also an All-Pro in 2008.
Gostkowski has converted 87.4 percent of his field-goal attempts in his career, which is a strong number. He converted 27-of-32 field-goal attempts (84.4 percent) in 2018, which ended with another New England Super Bowl title.
Gostkowski is not showing signs of slowing down and the Patriots should get their money’s worth in this new deal. Bill Belichick knows when it is time to move on from players and clearly he still believes in his veteran kicker.
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