The Buccaneers brought in a bunch of kickers on Monday to assess their options for replacing Nick Folk after Folk missed three field goals in last Thursday’s loss to the Patriots.
Folk also missed three kicks in the team’s Week Four win over the Giants, so there was likely already some thought of making a change and multiple reports indicate the Bucs have made their choice for a new kicker. It’s Patrick Murray, who is a familiar face in Tampa and whose agents have announced the move.
Murray was the team’s kicker in 2014 and made 20-of-24 field goals over the course of the year. He spent 2015 on injured reserve and was released by the team in May 2016 after they drafted Roberto Aguayo in the second round of the draft. Murray played two games for the Browns last year before again going on injured reserve and spent a week with the Saints this summer.
Folk replaced Aguayo, so the Bucs have done a lot of spinning their wheels at kicker just to wind up back where they started.
UPDATE 2:29 p.m. ET: The Buccaneers announced Murray’s signing. Folk has been placed on injured reserve with a “minor injury” designation, which means he’ll be released once he’s healthy.