With a little over 24 hours until kickoff against the Kansas City Chiefs, the New England Patriots reportedly signed a kicker.
On Saturday, the Patriots brought back kicker Nick Folk, announcing the move late in the afternoon. The move ends an absence of a little over a week for Folk, who was cut after having an appendectomy on Thanksgiving.
In a corresponding move, the team waived rookie defensive tackle Albert Huggins. The Patriots originally signed Huggins early this week after waiving kicker Kai Forbath, who was signed as a one-game replacement for Folk after the appendectomy.
It ends a weeklong saga where the Patriots operated without a kicker. The Patriots reportedly tried to acquire kicker Chase McLaughlin, who had been a short-term replacement for the San Francisco 49ers this year. However, the Indianapolis Colts picked him up on waivers first.
The move originally seemed to indicate that Adam Vinatieri could be on the way out in Indy after a tough year. However, Vinatieri is battling a knee injury this week that is not expected to play Sunday.
FALCONS: Atlanta punter Matt Bosher is done for the season after re-injuring his right groin.
Bosher was activated from injured reserve on Monday and expected to play for the first time since Week 4 when the Falcons (3-9) host the Carolina Panthers (5-7).
But he returned to the injury report at the end of the week. The team announced Saturday that Bosher was headed back to IR and Ryan Allen had been re-signed to handle the punting duties.
Bosher punted in just three games this season because of the injury to his right groin. Allen has appeared in four games for the Falcons, averaging 39.4 yards while dropping six of 14 punts inside the 20-yard line.
The Falcons also confirmed that first-round pick Chris Lindstrom has been activated from injured reserve and will start Sunday at guard against the Panthers. Tight end Carson Meier was waived.
PANTHERS: Carolina signed Shaq Thompson to a four-year extension, keeping the linebacker under contract through the 2023 season.
Thompson began his career in Thomas Davis’ shadows but has since emerged as a reliable starter.
The five-year NFL veteran is averaging more than eight tackles a game. He has had double-digit tackle totals in four games this season, including a career-high 14 in Carolina’s Week 3 win at Arizona. Thompson was the team’s first-round draft pick in 2015.
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