NFL Player News
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Nick Folk K | NYJ
Nick Folk: Signs AAF contract
Folk signed a contract with the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football on Saturday, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.
Folk worked out with the Bears on Friday but instead signed a deal to join the newly formed AAF. The 34-year-old last kicked in the NFL in October 2017 and had an 80.3 conversion percentage over his 11 seasons in the NFL.
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Greg Zuerlein K | NYJ
Rams' Greg Zuerlein: Ditches injury designation
Zuerlein (foot) didn't practice Friday, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports. However, Zuerlein doesn't have a designation on the Rams' injury report.
Zuerlein donned a boot on his left plant foot in the aftermath of the NFC Championship Game. While Zuerlein's injury was described as a strain, coach Sean McVay nonetheless was confident that the kicker would be available for the Super Bowl. With the removal of his designation, Zuerlein appears to be good to go more than a week out from the season-ending contest. No matter, he still must get through another week of preparation unscathed to do so.
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Nick Folk K | NYJ
Nick Folk: Working out for Chicago
Folk will work out for the Bears on Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Chicago is in the market to find a replacement for Cody Parkey, who missed seven field goals during the 2018 regular season and then knocked one off the upright (after it was tipped by a defender) in the closing seconds of a 16-15 playoff loss to the Eagles. Parkey did convert 21 of his 23 field-goal attempts the previous season in Miami, and an unusual number of his 2018 misses connected with an upright. There isn't much reason to believe the 34-year-old Folk would represent an upgrade, as he owns a career 80.3 conversion percentage and hasn't kicked in a game since October of 2017.
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Greg Zuerlein K | NYJ
Rams' Greg Zuerlein: Dealing with strained foot
Coach Sean McVay said Zuerlein suffered a foot strain in his plant foot during Sunday's NFC Championship Game win at New Orleans, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.
During the contest, Zuerlein struck true on two point-after tries and four field-goal attempts, including a 48-yarder to send the game to overtime and from 57 yards out to lock up the victory. Zuerlein has yet to practice during the bye week, but the injury isn't expected to affect his availability for the Super Bowl on Feb. 3 against the Patriots.
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Chris Boswell K | PIT
Steelers' Chris Boswell: Expected back in 2019
Boswell (groin) is expected to be on the Steelers' roster entering training camp, but he figures to have competition in advance of the 2019 season, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
Boswell ended this past season on injured reserve after appearing in 15 games. The 27-year-old logged the poorest stats of his pro career in 2018, going 13-for-20 on field-goal attempts after hitting 89 percent of his kicks over his first three NFL campaigns. Boswell, who is under contract with the Steelers through 2022, is due a $2 million roster bonus in March and while the team is expected to retain the kicker at that juncture, Steelers president Art Rooney II did acknowledge "at a minimum that (general manager) Kevin Colbert and his group will be looking to bring in some competition with (Boswell). I think they'll make something happen there and at least give him some competition for the kicking position."
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Greg Zuerlein K | NYJ
Rams' Greg Zuerlein: Tending to left foot injury
Zuerlein was listed as a non-participant on Wednesday's estimated practice report due to a left foot injury, Myles Simmons of the Rams' official site reports.
The Rams are in the Super Bowl because of Zuerlein's right foot, but his plant foot is afflicting him ahead of the biggest game of his career. Per Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com, Zuerlein was donning a boot on that foot Monday. While somewhat worrisome, coach Sean McVay doesn't believe Zuerlein or any other Rams player will be at risk of sitting out Feb. 3 versus the Patriots.
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Wil Lutz K | DEN
Saints' Wil Lutz: Tallies 11 points Sunday
Lutz made all three of his field goals and both of his extra points to total 11 points in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.
Lutz performed solidly for the Saints in the postseason, going 5-for-6 on field goals while hitting all four of his extra points. His lone miss came on a 52-yard field goal against Philadelphia in the divisional round. He'll now set his sights on again being one of the league's top kickers in 2019.
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Harrison Butker K | KC
Chiefs' Harrison Butker: Scores seven points Sunday
Butker made his only field-goal attempt (from 39 yards) en route to scoring seven points in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.
Butker was one of the top kickers during the regular season, and he continued his high play in the postseason. After making all 16 of his field goals from closer than 40 yards in the regular season, he went 2-for-2 in the playoffs from the same range while also hitting all eight of his extra-point attempts.
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Greg Zuerlein K | NYJ
Rams' Greg Zuerlein: Puts team on his back
Zuerlein was perfect during Sunday's 26-23 overtime win against the Saints. He connected on both extra-point kicks and all four field-goal attempts, including the game-tying kick from 48 yards and the game-clincher from 57 yards.
Considering the hostile road environment at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and what was on the line for the Rams, Zuerlein's kicking performance Sunday ranks among the best of all time. He's now hit seven of eight field-goal attempts and all five of his extra-point kicks during the playoffs, and he'll probably need to remain clutch for Los Angeles to have a shot at hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
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Jake Elliott K | PHI
Eagles' Jake Elliott: Makes both kicks in playoff loss
Elliott converted both of his extra-point attempts Sunday in the Eagles' 20-14 loss to the Saints in the divisional round.
Including the Eagles' two playoff contests, Elliott was generally solid during his second NFL season, as he converted 27 of 32 field-goal tries (84.4 percent) and missed only two of 38 point-after attempts. The 23-year-old will become an exclusive-rights free agent this offseason and will almost certainly be tendered a contract for 2019.