The Patriots made no trades before Tuesday’s deadline, but did shake up their kicking game.
Gone is kicker Mike Nugent, and replacing him is Nick Folk, according to reports.
Folk is a veteran who most recently kicked in the AAF. In the NFL, Folk kicked for the Jets, Cowboys and Buccaneers. A Pro Bowler in 2007, the 34-year-old Folk has made 80.3 percent of field goals over his career.
Folk will be New England’s third kicker this season. Stephen Gostkowski was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury earlier this season and Nugent was brought in as his replacement. But the Patriots showed little faith in him when they bypassed seven field goal attempts between 37 and 53 yards to go for it on fourth down.
On Sunday in the Patriots win over the Cleveland Browns, New England went for it twice on fourth down, bypassing a 51-yard and 42-yard field goal attempt. Nugent missed two field goals– a 34 yarder and a 29-yarder, which was blocked.
Nugent made just 62.5 percent of his field goals in four games to place 31st among 33 NFL kickers who have played in four or more games this season. Nugent was 15 of 16 extra point attempts. Gostkowski made 87.5 percent of his kicks this year before landing on the season-ending injured reserve.
• New England running backs coach Ivan Fears gave positive reviews of rookie Damien Harris, taken in the third round out of Alabama. He just hasn’t been able to get him into games just yet.
“He’s doing well, he just needs a chance,” said Fears. “I got four guys that are playing real well including Brandon Bolden … I can’t get this guy out there. I can’t carry five backs in the game. It’s impossible.”
WASHINGTON: According to reports, Washington left tackle Trent Williams has reported to the team, ending his lengthy holdout.
He can be kept off the 53-man roster for up to three weeks after reporting. Washington did not deal the 31-year-old before the trade deadline Tuesday, which prompted Williams’ return. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection needed to be eligible to play at least six regular-season games to accrue a year of his contract and not have it tolled, and his return this week paves the way for that.
Williams had not reported all season because of a dispute with the team over the handling of a medical situation.
DOLPHINS: Miami decided to place cornerback Xavien Howard on injured reserve with a knee injury that bothered him in recent weeks.
It’s undetermined whether Howard will require surgery, Coach Brian Flores said. Howard missed Weeks 6 and 7, returned Monday at Pittsburgh but sat out the end of Miami’s latest loss. He missed four games because of knee trouble last year and is unlikely to play again this year, raising questions about his long-term health.
In May, Howard agreed to terms on a $76.5 million, five-year contract extension, the most lucrative deal ever for a cornerback. The deal included $46 million guaranteed.
• The Rams traded cornerback Aqib Talib and a fifth-round pick in 2020 to Miami for an undisclosed future draft choice.
Miami adds a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback and Super Bowl champion at the trade deadline, but it is no known if he will play again this season. The Dolphins will pay Talib, who is on injured reserve after fracturing his ribs, the $4.2 million he is owed for the rest of this season.
JAGUARS: Jacksonville placed receiver Marqise Lee on injured reserve for the second straight season, likely signaling the end of his time with the team.
A second-round draft pick from USC in 2014, Lee sustained a shoulder injury in Sunday’s victory against the New York Jets. Lee missed all of last season after tearing three ligaments in his left knee in a preseason game. Lee is scheduled to count $8.75 million against the 2020 salary cap, making it unlikely the Jaguars would keep him unless he takes a significant pay cut.
FALCONS: Atlanta released kicker Matt Bryant – cutting ties with the leading scorer in franchise history for the second time in less than a year – and brought in Younghoe Koo as his replacement.
Bryant was released after missing five of 14 field goal attempts this season, as well as a late extra point that was the difference in a 34-33 loss at Arizona.
Mired in a six-game losing streak, the Falcons (1-7) decided to make a change after Bryant missed two more field goals in a 27-20 setback to Seattle this past Sunday.
Bryant signed with the Falcons in 2009 and was one of the team’s most reliable players over the next decade. He was released in a cost-cutting move after last season, but was brought back just before the opening game when the Falcons couldn’t find a suitable replacement. Bryant connected on 259 of 296 field goals (87.5 percent) in 11 seasons with the Falcons. Earning the nickname “Money Matt,” he made 38 of 52 kicks from at least 50 yards and earned Pro Bowl honors during Atlanta’s Super Bowl season in 2016.
BENGALS: Winless Cincinnati benched Andy Dalton heading into its bye week, ending his nine-season run as starter to start developing rookie Ryan Finley as his potential long-term replacement.
The move came two days after a 24-10 loss to the Rams in London left Cincinnati 0-8 for the first time in 11 years. It’s the first significant roster change under first-year coach Zac Taylor.
Dalton led the Bengals to five straight playoff appearances from 2011-15 but couldn’t get that elusive postseason win. He has one more year left on his contract, and owner Mike Brown said before the start of the season that how well he performed would determine his future.
Finley, a fourth-round pick, confirmed he’ll start against the Ravens in Week 10.
CHARGERS: Los Angeles fired offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, shaking up the coaching staff after a disappointing first half of the season.
Coach Anthony Lynn said in a statement that it was not an easy decision to let go of Whisenhunt, but that he felt a change was necessary. Lynn did not name an interim coordinator, but he did run Buffalo’s offense during most of the 2016 season before coming to Los Angeles in 2017. The Chargers’ next game is against Green Bay on Sunday.
Considered by some to be a Super Bowl contender before the season, the Chargers are 3-5. They needed a missed 41-yard field goal as time expired to beat Chicago 17-16 on Sunday and snap a three-game skid.
VIKINGS: Safety Jayron Kearse has been charged with multiple gun and alcohol counts after authorities say he was driving while impaired and had a loaded gun in his car.
Kearse, 25, was arrested early Sunday after he drove his car onto a closed portion of Interstate 94 in Minneapolis.
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