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Report: Veteran Kai Forbath Among Kickers Working Out For Patriots

BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots are in search of a new kicker after placing Stephen Gostkowski on IR on Wednesday. They reportedly worked out a group of kickers, though Bill Belichick had no desire to acknowledge those workouts -- let alone name any names -- at his Wednesday morning press conference.

But veteran kicker Kai Forbath was among those who showed off their leg in Foxboro on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. In addition, Reiss is reporting that Elliot Fry was in the mix as well. Fry was with the Chicago Bears during training camp, but lost out to Eddy Pineiro for the starting job.

Forbath, 32, has been an 87.5 percent kicker during his seven-year career, last kicking for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018. He started his career as a member of the Washington Redskins (fittingly, New England's opponent this weekend) and spent three-plus seasons with them, hitting 59 of his 67 field goal attempts (88.1 percent). He was released after one game in 2015, but found his way onto the New Orleans Saints, going 9-for-13 on his field goals over a 10-game stretch.

He was a perfect 15-for-15 on field goal attempts over seven games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2016, but missed three of his 14 extra point attempts. The Vikings brought him back for the 2017 season though, and Forbath rewarded them by going 32-for-38 on his field goals. He struggled with extra points again, missing five of his 39 attempts, and was cut ahead of the 2018 season.

Forbath was 4-for-5 in three games for Jacksonville last year, converting all three of his extra point attempts. But his inconsistency on extra points will likely cause some concern among Patriots fans; Forbath has missed 11 throughout his career and is only 94 percent on extra points.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, veteran Mike Nugent is also in the running to be Gostkowski's replacement. The 37-year-old is a 14-year veteran, spending time with the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders. He has hit 81.4 percent of the field goals he's attempted, and just 43.3 percent (13-for-30) from 50 yards or more. He's connected on 96 percent of his extra points, going 363-for-377 for his career.

Nugent last kicked for the Raiders in 2018, going 6-for-6 on field goal attempts and 4-for-5 on extra points.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Patriots will not sign a kicker on Wednesday and will likely have more in for workouts on Thursday. Other possible options for New England include Blair Walsh (82.4 percent on field goals for his career), Cody Parkey (83.9 percent), Phil Dawson (83.8 percent) and Chandler Catanzaro (83.8 percent).

 

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