The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have parted ways with struggling kicker Roberto Aguayo after they shockingly traded back into the second-round of the 2016 NFL Draft to acquire him. Now, veteran kicker Nick Folk will be the team's kicker going forward.
Why the team drafted him and his rookie struggles
Roberto Aguayo finished his three-year college career at Florida State as the third most accurate kicker in NCAA history (88.46%), while never missing an extra point or a field goal under 40 yards. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded a third-round pick (74) and a fourth-round pick (106) to move back into the second-round to select him on draft day.
The year before drafting him the team's kicker was an undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame, Kyle Brindza, who struggled and was cut after four games. Veteran Connor Barth was brought in and was solid, but the team did not keep him. Together these two only made 72.5% of their field goals and missed three extra points.
However last season Aguayo was just as bad, going 22-31 (71%) on field goals and missing two extra points (32-34). He was the worst kicker in the NFL by 4% points and was middle of the pack (14th) on extra point percentage. Naturally, being picked in the second-round, he had much more pressure on him to perform well then your normal kicker.
Aguayo's release comes after bad preseason game
Coming into his second season, Roberto Aguayo now had pressure on him to play better or he would be gone. This was ratcheted up on March 18th, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed veteran kicker Nick Folk to compete with him in a kicking competition. Last season with the Jets, Folk has one of the best year's of his career, going 27-31 (87.1%).
However, he did miss two extra points (24-26) and was released by the team for cap reasons.
Last night was the team's first preseason game, which they lost 23-12 to the Cincinnati Bengals. On the Bucs first possession, Aguayo made a 20-yard field goal but then proceeded to miss an extra point and a 47-yard attempt. Folk attempted one kick, making his 45-yard field goal.
Folk is the team's kicker now
With Roberto Aguayo being waived it would seem that Nick Folk has won the kicking battle. The veteran, who is entering his 11th season in the NFL, is a career 239-294 (81.3%) on his field goal attempts. Folk has one Pro Bowl appearance from his rookie season in 2007. Head coach Dirk Koetter said that the team will hold a tryout tomorrow to bring in another kicker. However, this signing would just act as insurance in case of injury.
