Another New England Patriots stalwart is on his way out the door.
According to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe, the Patriots will release kicker Stephen Gostkowski on Monday after 14 seasons with the franchise.
BREAKING: The #Patriots are releasing K Stephen Gostkowski today, per league source. Three-time Super Bowl champ is the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Story upcoming on https://t.co/BIqlcKzPKK
— Jim McBride (@globejimmcbride) March 23, 2020
A combination of age, injury, and price likely ended Gostkowski’s tenure with the Patriots. He turned 36 in January, and appeared in just four games last season due to a hip injury. Add in the fact that cutting Gostkowski saves New England $3.4 million against the cap and it just makes sense to move on.
It’s no secret that the Patriots think very highly of Gostkowski, but kickers are replaceable. This was clearly a business decision, though still a rather jarring one.
