Patriots Sign Gostkowski to Extension

but the press has made hay out of some non-kicks – where they could’ve had a shot at the edge of Gostkowski’s range and instead tried fourth-down conversions.

I’ve learned that Gostkowski’s contract has a total value of almost $14 million or an average of nearly $3.5 million per year. There is $5 million in guaranteed money.

He will earn a salary of $1.759 million on a one-year deal in 2010, a bargain for a Pro Bowler.

Mankins is/was the Pats best offensive lineman it’s not going to be clear how valuable he was until the season plays out but there is certainly value lost here.

When you factor in cost though, this value changes based on what else you might be able to do at the position.

With the kicking game, finding good kickers can be very tough. If the Patriots succeed in actually drafting both kicking responsibilities that is worth noting because I’m not sure how often that happens. Punting especially is a revolving door for a lot of teams.

To me it’s not as much about booming kicks for Zoltan, it’s about nailing the coffin corner and pinning the ball inside the 15. I’m much more interested in a punter with a good and accurate short game then i am one with a big foot.

Hoodie supposedly has a formula worked out before the game is even started as to situations to go for it on down-and-distance. The decision to go for it on 4th-and-2 was worked out weeks in advance; similarly, I’d have to imagine the decision to go for the 4th down conversion instead of a FG wasn’t based on Gostkowski, but on whatever rationale Hoodie usually uses to decide to go for 4th conversions – ie: it was a decision whether to go for it on 4th down first rather than a decision to avoid Gostkowski kicking a FG.