It seemed all week that there was something wrong with the Patriots’ kicking position. Turns out there is.
The first indications came Monday. This was the last remark of Phil Perry’s exercise report under the “who fell?” department:
Justin Rohrwasser: He went 3-for-5 on his live 11-on-11 kicks at the end of training. Not a failed performance. Just not the cleanest he has ever had, probably. He hooked his first kick wide left. After making his second, he hit another wide right. He snuck his fourth kick into the far right corner and then knocked in his fifth attempt from the right from the left.
That Rohrwasser, a player who was not projected to be drafted but taken forward in the fifth round for higher-scoring kickers, did not start so hot. That would definitely be worth a story to watch.
However, the story did not really go through, as no one got another look at Rohrwasser in 11-on-11s the rest of the week. He also did not step out because those tasks were split between Jake Bailey and a machine.
Minor alarm sounds.
Then on Friday, Scott Zolak mentioned on his radio program that Stephen Gostkowski had received contract offers from two teams – what Patriots legend does not have, amiright? – but that he became picky.
Points began to connect.
Then, boom:
De #Patriots have free agent K Nick Folk inside for a visit, and the plan is for him to sign Monday, said source. He will go through the protocol first.
– Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 22, 2020
So Rohrwasser is hurt or he is not so good. For his sake, you hope it’s a minor injury, but at least it does not seem like throwing a draft for the kick position has answered all his questions.
This was apparently a surprising choice to begin with, considering that Rohrwasser was not even a consensus top-five kick prospect, there were only three kickers lined up and Rohrwasser was the first to be selected.
His tattoo became a main story because he had what he said he got as a pro-military tattoo that instead had ties to some tricky things. He seemed embarrassed / remorseful about the concept and said he intended to remove it.
But – and not to diminish that story, because it deserves absolute attention – this is not about the tattoo. It’s about what at best seems to be an early concept top that doesn’t look any better. Sure, it’s just the fifth round, and I absolutely believe in drafting special teams, but what told the Patriots that going off the board was the move?
Stephen Gostkowski was the best as one of the best kickers in the 2006 draft, depending on who you asked, when the Patriots took him into the fourth round. Zoltan Mesko was one of the best scoring prospects in 2010. Bailey was the no. 1 punter perspective in the draft of 2019. Hell, Joe Cardona was the top-rated long snapper in the 2015 draft.
With positions like defensive lines and receivers, there is of course a wide range of how different guys fit into different systems, but … should special teams not be limestone in general? If you need a kicker, you hire the man who is considered the best kicker, right? No?
That there was already reason to be envious of Rohrwasser’s choice and whether the Patriots had adequately addressed their need at kicker, which is * an * important position. So far, it seems they have not.
