Youth Movement: Patriots Choose Rookie Kickers Over Veterans

With the trade of veteran Nick Folk to the Tennessee Titans, the New England Patriots anointed rookie Chad Ryland as their kicker for the foreseeable future.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots raised more than a few eyebrows when they selected Maryland kicker Chad Ryland in the fourth round (No. 112 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. They once again caught the attention of the NFL universe on Tuesday, when they traded veteran kicker Nick Folk to the Tennessee Titans.

Accordingly, the Pats appear content to test the full value of their draft investment, opting for Ryland's younger, stronger leg over Folk's veteran reliability. While the 23-year-old rookie certainly comes with tremendous upside, he also remains cognizant of his inherited pressure.  

Despite having just completed a rare intra-divisional trade with the New York Jets in exchange for their picks at No. 120 and 184, coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots brain trust used their second selection of day three on Ryland, who became the earliest drafted specialist in the New England's 71-year history.

The Patriots, who became the first NFL team since 2000 to select two kickers in the same draft, also have decided to go with their younger punter as rookie Bryce Baringer beat out Corliss Waitman for the job.

“It was surreal. It’s a huge blessing,” Ryland told reporters last April. “And I’m super thankful for the opportunity and looking forward to making the most of it.”

While only the intentional contrarian continues to dispute Ryland’s ability to be an effective NFL kicker, questioning of whether the Pats needed to use fourth-round draft capital to secure his services is a fair argument. After all, New England was widely considered to have been best-served by selecting an offensive lineman or perimeter pass-catcher — the former of which remains a significant position of need heading into the regular season. 

However, Ryland’s abilities to kick in the clutch, perform well in inclement weather and handle kickoffs were key factors in his selection — so much so that they were willing to trade-up to secure his services.

Barry Chin/Boston Globe Staff

Despite transferring to Maryland prior to the 2022 season, Ryland is still the career leader in points scored at Eastern Michigan with 309. In his lone season with the Terrapins, he connected on 82.6 percent of his field goals, including a perfect 9-for-9 from under 40 yards. He also became the first kicker in program history with two 50-yard field goal makes against the Michigan Wolverines in September, where he hit a 53 and 52-yarder — the 53-yarder being the fourth-longest in program history. Ryland also made 39 of his 40 extra point attempts.

Though Ryland will stipulate that kicking on an NFL field is inherently more pressure-packed than doing so on the collegiate stage, his calm, yet confident approach —which has worked pretty well, to date — is unlikely to change.

“My swing is exactly the same whether it’s an extra point or a 55-yard field goal,” Ryland told The Draft Network in late April. “I’m taking my line. I like to take an aggressive line and swing my swing with confidence. It’s gotten me to this point. I trust it.”

In spite of Ryland’s arrival in New England being a new beginning, it brought about the end of Folk’s tenure with the club. The 38-year-old had been one of the team’s most-dependable point scorers, in his four years in New England. However, a handful of uncharacteristic sputters down the stretch had some fans wondering whether the Pats might be in search for a new kicker via the Draft. In selecting Ryland with such prime draft capital, many wondered whether the Pats had already set their standard for the upcoming season. However, Folk's steady showing during both camp practices and preseason games — along with Ryland's struggles with accuracy — made it a surprisingly tight positional battle.

Ultimately, the Pats decided on Ryland. A fourth-rounder is an admittedly a steep price for his services — especially when considering New England’s other needs. Additionally, filling Folk’s shoes will not be easy. However, if he performs to his capability, armchair GMs throughout Patriots fandom may be forced to re-evaluate their stance on his selection.

No one knows this better than Chad Ryland, who is apparently eager to prove the naysayers wrong.

“At the end of the day, there’s a lot of work to be done,” Ryland said. “I know that ahead of coming in, and I can’t wait to get started.”

That day has come ... the Chad Ryland-Era for the Patriots' kicking game has begun.