It isn't a secret that the New England Patriots' kicking situation has been quite the mess in recent seasons.
The Patriots have struggled to hold on to a kicker ever since franchise icon Stephen Gostkowski left town following the 2019 season. Nick Folk played well enough to hold onto the role until after the 2022 season, which is when New England mistakenly replaced him with 2023 fourth-round pick Chad Ryland, who only lasted a year in town before being kicked to the curb.
The Patriots ran with Joey Slye in 2024, however, he's since signed with the Tennessee Titans this offseason. New England is now left without a legitimate starting kicker on its roster, opening the door for the team to sign a veteran leg who was just released.
Patriots Must Sign Matt Gay After Colts Release
On Thursday, the Indianapolis Colts shockingly announced that they've released kicker Matt Gay. The 31-year-old veteran has played 90 games since being drafted 145th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, one season with them and another three with the L.A. Rams before joining the Colts in 2023.
We have released K Matt Gay.
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) April 10, 2025
With late-2024 addition John Parker Romo currently being the only kicker on the Patriots' roster, targeting Gay is a no-brainer for EVP of player personnel Eliot Wolf.
Gay has been one of the NFL's more consistent kickers throughout the last six seasons. The former Utah special teamer has nailed 165-of-193 field-goal attempts (85.5%) while also making 206-of-214 extra-point tries (96.3%), which includes finishing the 2024 campaign with an 83.8 FG% (31-of-37) and a 100.0 XP% (33-of-33) in 16 appearances with the Colts.
For comparison, Slye finished last season with 78.8% (26-of-33) and 86.2% (25-of-26) success rates when it came to field goals and extra points, respectively.
It's easy to see how Gay would be a noticeable improvement over Slye — especially with that former having won a Super Bowl with the Rams while also making the Pro Bowl that season. Unless the Patriots want to roll the dice on a 40-year-old kicker like Folk (again) or Matt Prater, Gay is the best option of the bunch.
Rostering a reliable kicker is key for any team looking to compete for a playoff spot. Gay signing with the Patriots would help them near that goal and potentially surpass their projected 2025 win total, which currently sits at 7.5 victories on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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