On Tuesday, the Patriots free agent visits were running back-heavy, following James White’s injury on Sunday. On Thursday – with Nick Folk listed as ‘limited’ on the injury report – the team hosted two free agent kickers for visits in Foxborough. Of course, the workouts could just be to update the team’s injury list, with Jeff Howe of The Athletic reporting Folk “is trending toward playing Sunday.”

In addition, the team also had a pair of long snappers in for workouts on a day seemingly focused on special teams. Here’s a closer look at the four players the Patriots had in to work out on Thursday…

• K Riley Patterson

  Riley Patterson was considered one of the top kickers in last spring’s NFL Draft, and was one of two kickers to take part in the Senior Bowl. He ended up going undrafted, then signed with the Vikings as a UDFA but was released before playing a preseason game.

  Patterson played his college ball for Memphis, which has become known as a kicker hotbed in recent years. Former Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski and current Eagles kicker Jake Elliot are also products of the Tigers’ program.

  Riley Patterson banging them from a mile away #VikingsCamp pic.twitter.com/3cuOFdOesg

  — Rick Sosa (@sosarick) August 7, 2021

• K Brett Maher

  Originally signed as a UDFA by the Jets in 2013, Maher didn’t get his first NFL game experience until 2018 after bouncing between practice squads and the CFL. Kicking for Dallas between 2018 and 2019, he made 74.2 percent of his field goal attempts and drilled multiple 60-yarders.

  Maher spent practice squad time with Washington, Houston, and Arizona last year. He was with the Saints for a week in training camp this summer.

  63 yards?
  
  Easy money for Brett Maher 😲
  
  (via @thecheckdown)pic.twitter.com/TyugP1SCWh

  — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 21, 2019

• LS Turner Bernard

  Like Patterson, Turner Bernard was a UDFA who signed with the Minnesota Vikings this spring. He was released by the team during the first round of roster cuts.

• LS Ryan Langan

  Ryan Langan is also a rookie UDFA long snapper. He signed with the Chargers in the spring but was released during final roster cuts.

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