Cowboys Kicker-Needy: Sign Patriots 'Camp Standout'?
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys have one kicker on the roster right now, and sources here inside The Star have suggested that status is not meant as a vote of confidence for UDFA rookie Jonathan Garibay.
So Dallas is monitoring the revolving door at the position ... and should be monitoring what the New England Patriots are doing.
The Pats have added a veteran leg to their corps of kickers heading into 2022 training camp, while bidding adieu to a 2021 camp favorite.
The Patriots announced on Friday that they have signed kicker Tristan Vizcaino. The team also released kicker Quinn Nordin - Nordin being that aforementioned "camp favorite.''
Vizcaino, 25, entered the NFL in 2018 as an undrafted rookie free agent from Washington. Since then, he has spent time with six teams, primarily as a member of their respective practice squads. Vizcaino suited up for one game with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, and appeared in six games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021. He has connected on 9 of his 10 field goal attempts at the pro level, as well as 12 of 17 extra points. He also logged one punt last year with Los Angeles. In addition to the 49ers and the Chargers, Vizcaino has also seen practice squad action with the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills and yes, Dallas.
But now Greg Zuerlein is gone and all that's left behind is the Texas Tech kid Garibay. So ... how about signing Nordin?
Nordin was originally signed by New England as a rookie free agent out of Michigan in May 2021. The 6-1, 196-pound kicker made the initial 53-man roster but was inactive for the first game and then was placed on injured reserve in September. He was released in early December and signed to the practice squad just two days later. Nordin had not worked out with the team during their offseason workout program. He also did not participate in either of the team’s practices during mandatory minicamp. ... and as it relates to Dallas, it's all about what special-teams coordinator "Bones'' Fassel wants.
Vizcaino now joins Pats incumbent starter Nick Folk, who signed a two-year, $5.6 million contract with the team in the offseason. ... which means in addition to Nordin being available, Vizcaino might soon be available as well.
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