The New England Patriots are eyeing rookie kicker prospects, and one of the players they may check out has a very familiar last name.
With the Patriots having released Stephen Gostkowski earlier in the offseason, they are scouting rookie kickers aggressively. ESPN’s Mike Reiss believes Chase Vinatieri, the nephew of longtime Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, might be one of the prospects that they scout.
Chase Vinatieri is a kicker from South Dakota State. He has worked with kicking coach Mike McCabe, who has some ties to the Patriots through his work with former New England punter Ryan Allen.
“From watching the draft the last few years, maybe one, two or three kickers get drafted, and so realistically, it’s more likely I’ll be an undrafted free agent,” Chase Vinatieri told Reiss. “I’m definitely OK if that’s what it is. I’m just looking for a team to give me an opportunity.”
ESPN’s Todd McShay lists Vinatieri as the fifth best kicker in the draft. It would be a very intriguing story, as his uncle is a future Hall of Famer and a key part of Patriots’ history.
