Kicker Nick Folk gave the Tennessee Titans the best season of his long career in 2023, but is that enough to bring him back for 2024?
Playing for his fifth NFL team, Folk set a Titans team record for field goal accuracy: 29-of-30 or 96.7 percent. Now he is a pending free agent again — one of 23 Titans with expiring contracts — and general manager Ran Carthon has a decision to make.
NFL teams can begin negotiating with free agents on March 11 and can officially sign them on March 13, which marks the start of the league calendar year.
AllTitans.com has been presenting the arguments for and against re-signing some of the 24 Titans with expiring contracts. So far:
- Wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine;
- Center Aaron Brewer;
- Cornerback Kristian Fulton;
- Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair;
- Edge rusher Denico Autry;
- Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting;
- and running back Derrick Henry.
Folk said he's open to coming back for another season.
"I’d love to be back. I’ve enjoyed my time here a lot. Everyone asks me all the time and get the business side of it, but it’s a two-way street,” Folk told reporters after the season ended. “I can want to play, and I can still want to play, if someone else is willing to take that risk if you will. But I think I can still do it. I think I have a couple of good years left. We’ll kind of go from there.”
Let's discuss if the Titans should re-sign Nick Folk. First, some career highlights:
- Set the NFL record for consecutive kicks made 40 yards and under last season.
- One of six NFL players with at least five seasons with 30 field goals.
- Has 382 career field goals (19th all-time).
No. Let him go
If the Titans are looking for a long-term solution at kicker, then Folk isn't it. Folk will be entering his 17th season. It could be easier for the Titans to find a younger kicker and build for the future.
Folk's career field goal accuracy of 83.77 percent ranks 33rd all-time, but 90 percent is the new benchmark for placekickers. Eleven kickers in 2023 converted their field goal attempts at a rate of 90 percent or better.
Folk also ranked next-to-last in the NFL for kickoff touchbacks at 47 percent, which put an unnecessary stress on the Titans' special teams.
Yes. Bring him back
Folk turns 40 this year, but the three best seasons of his career have come in the past four years.
Folk missed only one field goal in 2023 and led the league in field goal accuracy. Folk also made five of six attempts from 50-plus yards.
He's a solid kicker who's seen every possible situation. If the price is right, the Titans should run it back for another season with the man affectionately known as Uncle Nick.
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