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Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign kicker Patrick Murray to replace injured Nick Folk

By The Sports Xchange
New York Jets' Ryan Quigley watches former Jets kicker Nick Folk react after missing a 45-yard field goal against the Miami Dolphins in the 4th quarter in week 13 of the NFL season at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI
New York Jets' Ryan Quigley watches former Jets kicker Nick Folk react after missing a 45-yard field goal against the Miami Dolphins in the 4th quarter in week 13 of the NFL season at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Patrick Murray to a contract and placed fellow kicker Nick Folk on injured reserve with a minor injury classification, the team announced Monday.

Folk missed three field-goal attempts in the Buccaneers' 19-14 loss to the New England Patriots last Thursday night. The 32-year-old Folk was 6 of 11 for field goals and 7 of 9 on extra points this season. He missed only four field-goal attempts (27 of 31) with the New York Jets in 2016.

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Murray, who made 20 of 24 field goal attempts for the Bucs during the 2014 season, won the recent kicking competition after Tampa Bay (2-2) reportedly worked out Cairo Santos, Mike Nugent, Andrew Franks and Josh Lambo.

The 26-year-old Murray was on injured reserve in 2015 and released in May 2016 after the Buccaneers selected Roberto Aguayo in the second round of that year's draft. Murray appeared in two games for the Cleveland Browns before going on injured reserve in 2016 and was cut by the New Orleans Saints in training camp this summer.

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Murray has made 21 of 26 field-goal attempts and 34 of 35 extra points in 18 career games.

The Buccaneers also signed defensive end Patrick O'Connor to the practice squad. O'Connor, who was selected by Detroit in the seventh round of the 2017 draft, played collegiately at Eastern Michigan.

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