Former Patriots kicker Nick Folk, named Titans starter, is grateful for preseason competition

Updated August 31, 2023, 3:44 p. m. For two days, the Titans had no kickers on their roster.

At some point during those two days, Bill Belichick called Nick Folk, who had kicked the last four seasons for the Patriots, to tell him the Titans were interested. Not long after that, Folk was on a plane to Tennessee, and Titans coach Mike Vrabel named Folk the Week 1 starter on Thursday. “Nick is our kicker,” Vrabel said.

“We feel really good about him and what he’s done and what he will do. ” The Patriots received a 2025 seventh-round draft pick in exchange for the 15-year veteran. He lost his job in New England to rookie Chad Ryland, a fourth-round pick out of Maryland.

“I enjoy the competition,” Folk said. “I’ve kind of always said if you can’t enjoy the competition and embrace it, then the NFL’s not going to be too long for you … A lot of times you’re competing against yourself, but to have someone there is fun, too. ” Get Breaking Sports Alerts Be the first to know the latest sports news as it happens, and get the Globe's most interesting reporting right to your inbox.

Folk, 38, is the only kicker on the Titans’ active roster — they added Cade York to the practice squad on Thursday — and he will be responsible for kickoffs as well as field goals and extra points. Folk kicked off sparingly in his time with the Patriots,a combined 16 across his first three seasons in New England. He earned a few more reps during the 2022 season, totaling 33, but punter Jake Bailey handled the majority.

Bailey was released in March. Folk told the Nashville media on Thursday that he worked on his kickoff technique during the offseason. The other obvious change for Folk following his transfer to Tennessee? The weather.

“I enjoy playing in the cold, so it was a good time up there, but I’m excited to be here,” he said. .