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Patriots Decide To Release Nick Folk In Order To Make Room For Kai Forbath

BOSTON (CBS) -- When news broke that Nick Folk needed an appendectomy and would be unable to play for the next one or two weeks, it was widely expected that the team would sign a free-agent kicker, keep Folk on the roster, and bring back the veteran when he's healthy enough to play.

That's not exactly the plan that the Patriots have followed, though, as the team released Folk on Friday in order to make room for new kicker Kai Forbath.

That means that Folk is now free to sign with any team that may want him. While interest may be limited during his time recovering from his appendectomy, losing Folk is nevertheless a risk that the Patriots took by releasing the kicker instead of dropping another player from the roster.

At his Friday press conference, Bill Belichick wouldn't commit to re-signing Folk once he regains his health.

"Well right now, we'll go down and play Houston. Try to go down and beat Houston. That's the intention right now. That's our goal," Belichick said when asked if the team intends to re-sign Folk. "We'll worry about next week next week."

Folk signed with the Patriots prior to their game against Baltimore, replacing Mike Nugent, who was initially signed when the Patriots lost Stephen Gostkowski for the season with a hip injury. Folk went 7-for-9 on field goals, missing two kicks in rainy and windy conditions vs. Dallas, and was 3-for-3 in PATs in his three games played.

Forbath, 32, has played 77 career NFL games, though he played just three games last year for Jacksonville, which was his most recent job. He went 4-for-5 on field goals last year, with his lone miss coming from 56 yards, and he went 3-for-3 on PATs. In 2016, after replacing Blair Walsh in Minnesota, Forbath went a perfect 15-for-15 on field goals while going 11-for-14 on PATs.

As Belichick noted Friday, Forbath was among the kickers that the Patriots worked out prior to signing Folk, and Friday's transaction now gives Forbath the chance to earn the Patriots' full-time job.

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