TAMPA, Fla. -- The Buccaneers' kicking saga has a new chapter, but with a familiar face -- Patrick Murray, who was with the Bucs in 2014 and was most recently with Cleveland Browns in 2016.
The Buccaneers announced Murray's signing Monday and placed Nick Folk on injured reserve with a minor injury designation. The designation means the team must release Folk, who missed three field goals in the team's 19-14 loss to the New England Patriots last Thursday, once he is healthy.
In four games this year, the 32-year-old Folk has gone 6-for-11 on field goals, including five misses in the past two weeks. The tipping point was Folk's performance against the Patriots; his kicks would have been the difference-maker.
Folk's recent struggles, coupled with second-round draft pick Roberto Aguayo's misses last year, prompted the Bucs to take swift action.
Murray, 26, saw action in 16 games in 2014, hitting 20 of 24 field goal attempts, with his longest from 55 yards out. He also made all 31 extra points.
Murray is 85.7 percent in his career on field goals from 40 or more yards, which was an area of struggle for the Bucs with Aguayo. On kicks of 50 or more yards, Murray is 5-for-7 (71.4 percent).
He missed the 2015 season with a torn ACL and, in a cruel twist of fate, injured the knee again while in Cleveland, where he played in just two games. He spent the rest of the season on injured reserve. He has made 21 of 26 career field goals (80.8), slightly better than Folk, during that span.