The New England Patriots have used the franchise tag just once since 2012, on kicker Stephen Gostkowski in 2015.
Will they go back to the same well in 2019?
Along with defensive end Trey Flowers and offensive tackle Trent Brown, Gostkowski is one of three players the Patriots realistically would consider tagging to avoid losing in free agency.
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According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Gostkowski very much is a candidate to receive the tag from New England, along with 10 other NFL players.
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Starting today and until March 5, there could be at least 10 players receiving some form of a tag: DeMarcus Lawrence, Jadeveon Clowney, Dee Ford, Frank Clark, Gardy Jarrett, Landon Collins, Nick Foles, Le'Veon Bell, Donovan Smith, Robbie Gould and Stephen Gostkowski, per sources. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 19, 2019
Gostkowski is the Patriots' all-time leader in field goals made (367) and has enjoyed impressive consistency during 13 seasons with the team.
The 35-year-old saw a slight dip in performance during the 2018 season, however, missing field goals (27 of 32) for just the second time in the last six seasons. He also missed a field goal in Super Bowl LIII but hit his other two attempts in a 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Tagging Gostkowski would cost New England roughly $5.1 million, much less than the cost of tagging Brown ($15.2 million) or Flowers ($18.6 million). The Patriots also could try to sign Gostkowski to a contract extension between now and the March 5 deadline, but if they can't work out a deal, the franchise tag could act as a placeholder for head coach Bill Belichick to maintain consistency in his kicking game.
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