Per Schefter: NYJ signed Folk to One-Year Contract

[MrMom]

http://twitter.com/Adam_Schefter/status/9536048675

Filed to ESPN: With K Jay Feely scheduled to become a free agent, the N.Y. Jets signed former Cowboys K Nick Folk to a one-year contract.

[brickman]

Wow. Must say I'm a little surprised. I kind of thought he'd try to make it back with us. That's a tough place to kick. He won't have the luxury of kicking at least 1/2 of his games in a controlled environment. Those conditions certainly won't help his psyche.

[eightysiX]

so much for him coming back to dallas.

[MrMom]

Source: Jets sign Folk for 1 year
By Adam Schefter

With Jay Feely scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and with the price of some kickers going up, the Jets signed former Dallas Cowboys kicker Nick Folk to a one-year deal, a league source said Tuesday.

Folk had workouts with the Jets and Giants, but opted for the Jets deal.

It now is expected that it will be Folk's kicking job to lose this season and the Jets will allow Feely to test the free-agent market and leave if he finds a sufficient offer.

Adam Schefter is ESPN's NFL Insider.

[HoleInTheRoof]

Better them than the Giants. I have a feeling in three years he will be a steady and solid kicker, and we'll still be in search of one of those.

[big dog cowboy]

At least he went to the AFC.

I do wish him luck. He was money there for a while.

[Doomsday101]

At least he went to the AFC.

I do wish him luck. He was money there for a while.

I do as well. I hated to see him struggle as he did last season he did a very good job in his 1st 2 season with us and I hope he can get it turn back around.

[theebs]

well that sucks.

[Yeagermeister]

Good luck to you Nick

[dallasfaniac]

I hope he sucks for the Jets. I'll enjoy the deathly silence regarding his failure there more than the "Jerry is stupid" threads if he goes on to have a great career.

[AmishCowboy]

:hammer: Better them than the Giants. I have a feeling in three years he will be a steady and solid kicker, and we'll still be in search of one of those.

[burmafrd]

He was money for us for 2 years and I had really hoped we would bring him back for another shot. Just glad he is in the AFC.

[Randy White]

Wow. Must say I'm a little surprised. I kind of thought he'd try to make it back with us. That's a tough place to kick. He won't have the luxury of kicking at least 1/2 of his games in a controlled environment. Those conditions certainly won't help his psyche.

Aren't they moving to a new stadium ?

[RS12]

Doubt he has the mental toughness to kick in the winds out there. Crowd and conditions were much friendlier in Jerry's palace.

[adamknite]

Aren't they moving to a new stadium ?

You mean the new stadium that is 2 feet away from the old one?


I'm going to miss Folk. Those two back to back field goals he kicked in Buffalo are football moments you don't forget. I really thought we had found a long term kicker solution... oh well.

[ThreeSportStar80]

Who cares... The guy was a major liability.

[TheCount]

Aren't they moving to a new stadium ?

Yup.

Glad Folk got some of his pride back by being able to choose his own destination rather than waiting for us to drag him back to camp and make him kick against a bunch of bums.

I think there's a very good chance he'll be their kicker for some time to come.

[juck]

Good he is done. I want Stover.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Too bad it turned out that way, we aren't fortunate enough to have a kicker like Akers or Hansen that sticks with us forever.

[links18]

Good, now can we put and end to the insane talk of him coming back to Dallas? :D

[Rampage]

Good he is done. I want Stover.
Stover is like 42 years old. I wouldn't mind Feeley if it comes down to it. I'd rather Buehler just do it so we don't have to waste a roster spot on another kicker.

[TheCount]

Good he is done. I want Stover.

Why on earth would you want Stover?

[Dash28]

I think it's going to be Buehler's job this season.

[Doomsday101]

Good he is done. I want Stover.

Why is he done because he had a bad season? Hell Stover has had some bad seasons as well. Because a kicker had a bad year does not mean his career is done. Folk did a good job for the Cowboys before this past season but it is not uncommon for any kicker to have a bad season.

[Chocolate Lab]

Good he is done. I want Stover.

:geezer:

[Faerluna]

Sigh.

[Randy White]

You mean the new stadium that is 2 feet away from the old one?.



Hey, new Yankee stadium is across the street from old Yankee stadium, but both are completely different. Not that you needed to hit a bomb in old Yankee stadium to right field to hit a HR, but you needed more than a pop fly, which is what it's currently needed at the new one.

just sayin'...

[WoodysGirl]

Catching up with Nick Folk
3:42 PM Tue, Feb 23, 2010 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips

As you've seen, Nick Folk is a member of the New York Jets. I was able to talk to the former Cowboys kicker in the last few minutes and Folk is excited about his chances with the Jets.

"I'm happy with the situation," said Folk. "I think it's one of the better situations in the league, especially after what happened last year. That didn't work out well but everything happens for a reason."

Folk's struggles were well chronicled during 2009. He missed 10 of 28 field goal tries before his release by the Cowboys after missing just seven attempts his first two seasons. Off-season hip surgery slowed down his progress and the drafting of David Buehler, Folk said, accelerated his return, which led to some poor habits.

"Looking back on it, I wish I took care of it back in January," said Folk, who had the operation last May.

Since being cut by the Cowboys, Folk worked with his kicking coach, Chris Sailer, and said he found a minor issue that has seen a return to his inconsistency.

"I was leaning over too much at the start," Folk said. "I was taught to be aggressive to the ball but I was hunched over. It's like a golf swing and you're hunched over. It's hard to get through the ball."

Since then, Folk said he has hit the ball much better and much straighter. At his best he would hit the ball tremendously straight (think of those Buffalo kicks as a rookie). Last year at times he had a slice and a draw. And he said his kickoffs have improved greatly.

"I'm hitting them 5, 10 yards deep now," Folk said. "I know I can kickoff. If I can his 60 yard field goals there's no reason why I can't kickoff."

The Cowboys did not approach Folk about returning and he wanted to go to a place where he could kickoff. He'll get that chance with the Jets, although they are not on the Cowboys' schedule.

"But the Super Bowl is back there," Folk joked.

[HeHateMe]

Feely was solid all season for New York and then choked in the playoffs.

I'd like to give him a shot in Dallas, since you know, well, we have no one else.

[gimmesix]

I'd rather Buehler just do it so we don't have to waste a roster spot on another kicker.

So would the Cowboys, but they better hedge their bets.

[Hostile]

Catching up with Nick Folk
3:42 PM Tue, Feb 23, 2010 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips

As you've seen, Nick Folk is a member of the New York Jets. I was able to talk to the former Cowboys kicker in the last few minutes and Folk is excited about his chances with the Jets.

"I'm happy with the situation," said Folk. "I think it's one of the better situations in the league, especially after what happened last year. That didn't work out well but everything happens for a reason."

Folk's struggles were well chronicled during 2009. He missed 10 of 28 field goal tries before his release by the Cowboys after missing just seven attempts his first two seasons. Off-season hip surgery slowed down his progress and the drafting of David Buehler, Folk said, accelerated his return, which led to some poor habits.

"Looking back on it, I wish I took care of it back in January," said Folk, who had the operation last May.

Since being cut by the Cowboys, Folk worked with his kicking coach, Chris Sailer, and said he found a minor issue that has seen a return to his inconsistency.

"I was leaning over too much at the start," Folk said. "I was taught to be aggressive to the ball but I was hunched over. It's like a golf swing and you're hunched over. It's hard to get through the ball."

Since then, Folk said he has hit the ball much better and much straighter. At his best he would hit the ball tremendously straight (think of those Buffalo kicks as a rookie). Last year at times he had a slice and a draw. And he said his kickoffs have improved greatly.

"I'm hitting them 5, 10 yards deep now," Folk said. "I know I can kickoff. If I can his 60 yard field goals there's no reason why I can't kickoff."

The Cowboys did not approach Folk about returning and he wanted to go to a place where he could kickoff. He'll get that chance with the Jets, although they are not on the Cowboys' schedule.

"But the Super Bowl is back there," Folk joked.
Honestly, when we cut him that was one of my biggest fears. That he would figure out what was mechanically wrong and work it out.

[big dog cowboy]

"Looking back on it, I wish I took care of it back in January," said Folk, who had the operation last May.

I remember very well the CZ membership openly questioning the stragedy of him having his operation when he did. Now he will be a great kicker once again only not with the Cowboys. That is extremely disappointing and frustrating.

[Bob Sacamano]

You guys worry too much.

[notherbob]

So would the Cowboys, but they better hedge their bets.

I agree. Buehler really blasts the kickoffs but I have to wonder whether he has the finesse to kick in situations where accuracy is more important than just hauling off and blasting the ball.

It's a little disturbing to see the Boys draft an accurate, distance kicker only to lose him before his initial contract is up and replace him with a kicker who is known for great distance but questionable accuracy at best. Maybe Boniol will be able to teach Buehler something.

I guess we'll see.

[Hoofbite]

So not only has he fixed his stroke on FGs, he's bombing Kickoffs?

Grand.

[juck]

Why on earth would you want Stover?
He is an old consistent kicker from within 45. He never had that mindset to lose it. Kickers lose it then they never get it back.

[big dog cowboy]

So not only has he fixed his stroke on FGs, he's bombing Kickoffs?

Grand.
That is a much nicer word than I used when I first read the story.

[Eskimo]

I think this whole situation was badly misplayed by Cowboys management. I really felt he should have been IR'd or just made inactive with a temporary K for the playoff run. We surely have some JAGs that we could have released temporarily to keep Folk.

This is another area where I think Jerry has failed as a GM again. I do believe he is also messing up the Miles Austin situation. He badly misread the RW11 situation around the trade.

He better find us a good kicker because he is going to be raked over the coals if Folk returns to form and we have another year of horrible kicking.

[ThreeSportStar80]

Yeah the proof is in the pudding, we'll see what he does in 2010. This is all offseason talk.

[gimmesix]

This is another area where I think Jerry has failed as a GM again.

I think we need to take a wait-and-see stance on this. It's obvious the Cowboys coaches believe Buehler can handle both roles and that's the direction the team really wants to go so it doesn't have to use an extra roster spot on a kicker.

It might not play out like Dallas wants, but the Cowboys know more about the situation than we do.

We're too quick to jump to the conclusion that Jerry is failing as a GM than giving him and his staff the benefit of the doubt on such moves, even when some of those moves have turned out better than a lot of people expected.

[Eskimo]

I think we need to take a wait-and-see stance on this. It's obvious the Cowboys coaches believe Buehler can handle both roles and that's the direction the team really wants to go so it doesn't have to use an extra roster spot on a kicker.

It might not play out like Dallas wants, but the Cowboys know more about the situation than we do.

We're too quick to jump to the conclusion that Jerry is failing as a GM than giving him and his staff the benefit of the doubt on such moves, even when some of those moves have turned out better than a lot of people expected.

Buehler maybe a great FG kicker with more training but he wasn't brought in to compete with Folk but complement Folk which to me means the FO didn't think he could be as good as him in that capacity.

They gave up on the kid way too early after an injury.

All they had to do was make him inactive and release some bottom of the roster inactive waste of space like Duke Preston to keep him on the roster and let him sort out his mechanics in the offseason. Obviously his rehab was rushed again by this staff and perhaps we need better medical advisors as this is the second questionable decision made that really impacted us at the end of the year (the other being Colombo's reinstatement).

If they wanted Buehler, Hughes and Folk to compete at TC then they could have had that situation at minimal expense.

I just think it was a silly error to give up on Folk so quickly especially coming off of that late hip surgery.

If Buehler is great than they will be vindicated in their decision. If Hughes is lights out than they will also be fine. But if they struggle and Folk returns to previous form they have only themselves for bungling the situation.

[silverbear]

Good luck to you Nick

My sentiments exactly... hope he gets healthy and gets his groove back...

[silverbear]

I hope he sucks for the Jets. I'll enjoy the deathly silence regarding his failure there more than the "Jerry is stupid" threads if he goes on to have a great career.

Spoken like a true hater... LOL...

[silverbear]

You guys worry too much.

My only worry is finding a kicker who is as reliable as Folk was a coupla years back...

[silverbear]

I agree. Buehler really blasts the kickoffs but I have to wonder whether he has the finesse to kick in situations where accuracy is more important than just hauling off and blasting the ball.

It's a little disturbing to see the Boys draft an accurate, distance kicker only to lose him before his initial contract is up and replace him with a kicker who is known for great distance but questionable accuracy at best. Maybe Boniol will be able to teach Buehler something.

I guess we'll see.

Don't forget the Boys have signed Connor Hughes... he was an awfully steady kicker for Virginia...

[CowboyMcCoy]

Who cares... The guy was a major liability.

:signmast: This.

[GOLDENCHILD1688]

man i was hoping we would be able to bring him back.

theres a good chance he returns to form. ah well wish him luck

[AmishCowboy]

man i was hoping we would be able to bring him back.

theres a good chance he returns to form. ah well wish him luck Same here, but it's sounds like injury or not, he wasn't to trilled about having another kicker around and sounds kinda peeved he wasn't kicking off.

[Phoenix]

Flash forward 10 years:

"Jets kicker Nick Folk has been selected to his 10th consecutive All-Pro team"

:bang2:


Seriously though, hope he turns it around and has a good career. Loved him in Dallas the first couple of years, but I was one calling for him to be released this past season...it was extremely called for I thought. Good luck Nick.

[gbrittain]

So long Shankapotomus!

[BlueStar II]

I thought we had found the answer to our kicking problems once Folk arrived, however, I do wish him luck though. He's not the first kicker to have started out well only to have things change for him.

[davidyee]

...wins the FG kicking job the first thing I would be worried about is his performance on kick offs.

We really were spoiled with all the touch backs and you would hate to see those decline.

[Hostile]

...wins the FG kicking job the first thing I would be worried about is his performance on kick offs.

We really were spoiled with all the touch backs and you would hate to see those decline.
Why would they decline? He was a rookie. He had as much success as a rookie as any veteran Kick Off Specialist in the NFL.

I'd be far more worried that he is an erratic Field Goal Kicker at best.

[Vintage]

Crap.

He'll be fine for the Jets. We'll be in search for a kicker, hopefully, Buehler can do that.