Patriots release two-time All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski

You can add a kicker to the list of needs for the New England Patriots this offseason. The Patriots are reportedly releasing longtime kicker Stephen Gostkowski, according to Jim McBride of The Boston Globe. 

The 35-year-old has been New England's kicker since 2006 but played just four games in 2019 before having season-ending hip surgery.

Gostkowski is the franchise's all-time leading scorer, making four Pro Bowls and earning two All-Pro nods, and his 87.4 percent field goal percentage is one of the best among kickers in the NFL.

After he went down in 2019, the Patriots filled the void by using a combination of Kai Forbath, Mike Nugent and Nick Folk. While Folk finished the 2019 season with New England, he now is a free agent.

Cutting Gostkowski has created about $3 million in cap space, according to 98.5 The Sports Hub's Matt Dollof, and New England will have to fill the open position by drafting a kicker or seeking help in the free-agent market.