After having zero kickers on their roster going into cutdown day on Tuesday, the Tennessee Titans now have a pair, with veteran Nick Folk on the active roster and second-year player Cade York on the practice squad.
Tennessee acquired Folk via a trade with the New England Patriots that only cost the Titans a 2025 seventh-round pick and he’ll serve as the team’s starter when Week 1 rolls around.
Buy Titans TicketsYork, on the other hand, gives the Titans a project to work with and a potential long-term solution should he get back on track after his struggles with the Cleveland Browns that led to him being waived.
York made his first appearance in the Titans’ locker room before practice on Thursday and revealed he had other options but chose to sign in Tennessee, even though he knew Folk would be the starter.
“There were a few opportunities and I chose the Titans,” York said, per Sam Phalen of AtoZ Sports. “I knew that they traded for Nick but there aren’t very many, if any jobs anywhere in the NFL. So, just what I thought was the best place for me to go and get some work.”
York showed promise after the Browns selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. and especially early on after he made each of his eight field goals over the first four weeks.
But things hit the skids after that, with the LSU product going 16-for-24 over the final 13 weeks. He then followed that up with a rough preseason showing in 2023, going 4-for-8.
“Last year, it was a big welcome to the league year for me,” he said. “Had some big moments, had some low moments. Kicked the ball well and then just had some hiccups. Was really looking forward to coming into the next year and working, but here we are now and looking forward to just taking every opportunity I can get to get better.”
While York would obviously prefer to start, he appreciates the opportunity to work on his issues without having the pressure of performing in a game.
“Of course, anybody wants to be starting anywhere they go,” he said. “But I’m going to take this opportunity to work on my time without having to play in games and I’m going to use it to the best of my ability to grow and just get better all the time.”
Despite his past issues, York isn’t lacking confidence and says he has a chip on his shoulder as he prepares to embark on a new chapter in Nashville.
“I have no lack of confidence and I have a chip on my shoulder and a drive to get better,” he said, per Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. “So, just coming here to work”
