NFL Player News

The Buccaneers released Folk on Thursday.

With Folk set to become an unrestricted free agent March 14 and the Buccaneers having no intention of re-signing him, Tampa Bay likely chose to cut the kicker loose so he could get an early start on finding work. The 33-year-old won the Buccaneers' kicking job in training camp last fall but held onto the role for only four games after missing seven kicks (five field goals, two extra points) on only 20 attempts. Rather than releasing him in favor of replacement Patrick Murray, the Buccaneers shifted Folk to injured reserve while he dealt with a minor knee injury that he's since recovered from. Given his underwhelming accuracy in recent years, Folk may only be signed as camp competition rather than as a team's top choice to win the kicking gig.

Folk (knee) met last week with Dr. James Andrews, who officially cleared the 33-year-old to resume kicking, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Folk beat out incumbent Roberto Aguayo for the Buccaneers' kicking duties in training camp but lost the gig after missing all three of his field-goal attempts in a narrow Week 5 loss to the Patriots. While Folk was initially expected to be released, the Buccaneers instead stashed him on injured reserve due to a minor case of left knee tendinitis, for which the veteran ultimately underwent surgery. Now fully healthy, Folk, who will officially become a free agent March 14, will likely head elsewhere this offseason in search of an opportunity to compete for a kicking job.

The Raiders are expected to offer a one-year tender this offseason to Tavecchio, an exclusive rights free agent, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

With the Raiders informing veteran Sebastian Janikowski (back), who spent the entire 2017 season on injured reserve, that he wouldn't be re-signed in free agency, Tavecchio should retain kicking duties for Oakland despite a somewhat uneven first full season in the league. Though he displayed a strong leg on kickoffs throughout and nailed all nine of his field-goal tries in Oakland's first six games last season, Tavecchio regressed down the stretch, missing five kicks over the subsequent 10 contests to finish with a lackluster 76.2 percent conversion rate. It's expected that the Raiders will bring in some competition for Tavecchio during training camp, but the 27-year-old should be viewed as the heavy favorite to win the gig if he's able to display renewed accuracy in practices and preseason contests.

Sturgis recovered from his torn flexor during the regular season but remained on injured reserve due to the success of replacement kicker Jake Elliott, David Weinberg of The Press reports.

Sturgis suggested he was healthy around mid-December. It was no surprise the Eagles chose to ride Elliott through the end of the season given how well the rookie was performing, and it paid off considering Elliott finished the season having made 26 of 31 field goals and subsequently turned in a 7-for-7 showing in the playoffs. The 28-year-old Sturgis will now be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the league year, and he will presumably need to look for work outside of Philadelphia with Elliott under contract through the 2018 campaign.

Head coach Sean McVay recently told ESPN LA 710 that he expects Zuerlein (back) to be ready for the start of the upcoming season. "Based on the doctors and everything, and even the way Greg was feeling as soon as he alleviated that pressure with the surgery, we're very positive in terms of Greg being ready to go," McVay said.

Zuerlein played through some sort of back injury last season but was shut down after 14 games and underwent surgery in mid-December. The NFL's highest-scoring player in 2018 was forced to miss the Pro Bowl as a result and seems likely to be sidelined for a significant portion of the offseason program as well.

Elliott made all three field-goal attempts to go with two of three extra-point tries Sunday in the Eagles' 41-33 defeat of the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

The rookie started the scoring with a 26-yard boot midway through the first quarter and followed it with the missed extra point. From there, he was perfect, putting Philadelphia up by more than a field goal with his 42- and 46-yard attempts in the fourth quarter. The Super Bowl win completes a whirlwind season for the 23-year-old, who, after going undrafted and failing to make the Bengals out of training camp, signed with the Eagles after the injury to Caleb Sturgis in Week 1. The Memphis product completed 26 of 31 field-goal attempts during the regular season and was a perfect 7-for-7 in the playoffs. He is signed through next season.

Bryant clarified Friday that he has no intentions of retiring just yet, saying "I'll play two-three more years in this league," Kelsey Conway of the Falcons' official site reports.

Bryant has now finished as a top-5 fantasy kicker in standard leagues for the second consecutive season after converting on 34 of his 39 field-goal attempts in 2017. With his contract expiring over the offseason, the Falcons have a decision to make as to whether or not they want to bring back the reliable veteran, who will turn 43 in May.

Lutz made three extra-point tries and a 43-yard field goal in Sunday's 29-24 NFC divisional-round loss to the Vikings. He also missed a 58-yard field goal.

Lutz appeared to have sent the Saints to the NFC title game when he booted a clutch field goal to give New Orleans the lead with only 25 seconds remaining in the contest, only to have Stefon Diggs' miracle catch-and-run abruptly eject New Orleans from the playoff field. Still, Lutz had a terrific sophomore season, converting 31 of 36 field-goal attempts and 47 of 50 extra-point kicks. So long as Drew Brees -- who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason -- returns to New Orleans in 2018, Lutz should enter the year as one of the better kicking options in fantasy leagues, as the Saints' high-powered offense should provide him with plenty of scoring opportunities.

Tucker finished the season converting 34 of 37 field goals and going 39-for-39 on extra point attempts.

It was another stellar season from Tucker, who converted over 90 percent of his field goal attempts for the second year in a row and fourth time in his career. Tucker was also among the league's elite from distance, checking in with five field goals of 50-or-more yards, but that was a dropoff after going 10-for-10 from that distance in 2016. Still, Tucker is clearly one of the most bankable options at kicker regardless of format thanks to his high volume of attempts coupled with a unique ability to convert from almost any distance. Tucker, 28, is under contract for two more years.

Walsh was 21 of 29 on field-goal attempts and 37 for 38 on extra-points attempts for the Seahawks in 2017.

Walsh's longest field goal of the season was 49 yards, and he finished the season on a sour note with a missed 48-yard field goal in the final minute of the Week 17 loss to the Cardinals. The Seahawks have already signed former-Jaguar Jason Myers to a reserve\future contract as Walsh is set to hit free agency, with his tenure in Seattle likely over.