The New England Patriots announced that they have placed their franchise tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski. Gostkowski has been with the Patriots since the team drafted him in the fourth round in 2006, and is coming off a five-year contract signed in 2010.
Patriots use franchise tag on Stephen Gostkowski
The Patriots won’t be using their franchise tag on safety Devin McCourty.
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
That contract paid Gostkowski $15.8 million over five years, with an average salary of $3.15 million. By placing the franchise tag on Gostkowski, he’s guaranteed to return to the team for at least the 2015 season, and he’ll enjoy a modest pay raise of $4.56 million, according to Albert Breer of NFL Network. Gostkowski has also been given the nonexclusive tag, which means that he can negotiate with other teams, but the Patriots can match any offer. If another team signs Gostkowski, then it would have to give up two first-round picks, making it an unlikely scenario.
Using the franchise tag on a kicker or punter might sound crazy at face value, but it happens a lot given the reasonable cap number for the position. If a team can set aside any worry about a position at a reasonable cost, it's usually a small price to pay. Kicker Nick Folk got the tag from the New York Jets in 2014, while punter Pat McAfee got the same treatment from the Indianapolis Colts in 2013.
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It’s worth noting that the Patriots can still negotiate a long-term deal with Gostkowski. They have until July 15 to get him signed to a long-term deal, though if they miss this deadline Gostkowski would be forced to play under the one-year tag. At 31 years old and coming off the best season of his career, a long-term deal shouldn’t be out of the question. In fact, the Patriots issued a statement that they would like to work out a deal with their kicker:
“Stephen has been extremely productive and a vital component to our success since joining our team in 2006. Utilizing the franchise designation allows both sides more time to try to reach an agreement, which is the goal.”
Gostkowski connected on 35 of 37 field goals last season, for a percentage of 94.6, making 12 of 13 from 40-49 yards out. Many thought that team would use the tag on safety Devin McCourty, who was one of the key pieces to New England's defense and, accordingly, its Super Bowl run this past season.
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