Raising Zona
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Diving into Zane Gonzalez replacements

By Aarron Van Buren

Nov 16, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos (2) kicks a field goal in the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos (2) kicks a field goal in the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 8, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans punter Ryan Allen (8) and Tennessee Titans kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) before the game against the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans punter Ryan Allen (8) and Tennessee Titans kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) before the game against the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Stephen Gostkowski

While Stephen Gostkowski had a rather infamous first game as a Tennessee Titan, he salvaged his season going forward and is second on my list of Zane Gonzalez replacements. The longtime ex-New England Patriot ended up going 18 for 26, just under 70% for field goal percentage. While he had a down year, the first of his career, Gostkowski was almost “Vinatieri 2.0” for New England. Adding the experienced veteran at age 37 may be more of a holdover than an investment, but older kickers who’ve come to the desert haven’t done too bad. Jay Feely and Phil Dawson both had some productive years with the Cardinals.

The experience Gostkowski has just can’t be beat. He’s a 3x Super Bowl champ, and with tons of playoff experience, the team could actually trust him to go hit a kick to win a game. There’s always the chance he could retire if there isn’t an immediate interest, but Arizona should keep a tab on him with an offer ready to go.

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