The Atlanta Falcons are making a change at kicker. Atlanta is releasing veteran Nick Folk and signing Jake Moody off the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Tuesday. ESPN later confirmed the move.
Folk lasted nine games in Atlanta. Moody, who was kicking for Baltimore just five days ago, takes over the job right away.
Why the Falcons moved on from Nick Folk
The numbers caught up with Folk fast. He went 13-of-18 on field goals this season, his first with the Falcons, according to ESPN. That works out to 72.2%.
The misses came in bunches late. Folk missed a field goal in back-to-back games, per NBC Sports, and he missed a 38-yarder in Sunday’s 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was also just 1-of-4 on tries from 50 yards and beyond, and he went 17-of-18 on extra points.
That 38-yard miss stood out. The Falcoholic noted it was Folk’s first miss inside 40 yards since 2017.
This is not how Atlanta planned it. The Falcons signed Folk to a two-year, $9 million contract in the offseason with $4 million guaranteed, ESPN reported. The bet made sense on paper. Folk led the NFL in field goal percentage in 2023, 2024 and 2025, per The Falcoholic, and he came over after a strong 2025 run with the New York Jets.
It just never clicked in Atlanta. The kicker change also comes in a busy week for the Falcons, who traded safety Jessie Bates to the Jaguars on Monday.
Jake Moody gets another shot
Moody’s road back has been a winding one. The 49ers drafted him in the third round in 2023, 99th overall, out of Michigan. His second season in San Francisco went badly. He made 24 of 34 field goals in 2024, and the 49ers cut him after a shaky Week 1 in 2025.
He bounced around after that. Moody kicked for three teams last season and went 19-of-23 on field goals and 15-of-16 on extra points, according to NBC Sports. He spent time with the Bears and the Washington Commanders before landing in Baltimore.
His audition came last Thursday. With Ravens starter Tyler Loop on injured reserve, Baltimore elevated Moody from the practice squad for the Week 9 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He made his only field goal, a 53-yarder in a downpour, plus his only extra point in a 33-10 loss.
That kick got noticed.
Why Moody picked Atlanta
Baltimore had an open roster spot and could have simply promoted Moody, per Pro Football Rumors. He chose the Falcons instead. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reported that joining Atlanta was Moody’s preference over a spot on the Ravens’ active roster.
One reason is the building. Moody liked the chance to kick mostly indoors for the first time in his career, a source told ESPN. Mercedes-Benz Stadium has a roof, so home games mean no wind and no rain.
For Atlanta, it’s a younger option. Moody is 26, per Southern Sports Today, and the Falcons get a chance to see if he can hold the job for the rest of the season and beyond.
What it means for the Ravens
Baltimore now has a kicking problem again. Loop is not eligible to come off injured reserve until after the Ravens’ Week 13 bye, according to ESPN, and NBC Sports noted the Ravens will need another kicker in the meantime. Expect Baltimore to sign or work out a replacement this week.
Nick Folk heads to free agency
The timing matters for Folk. Veterans released after the trade deadline have to go through waivers. Since Atlanta’s move is expected to be official before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, Folk should become a free agent right away, per Pro Football Rumors.
That gives him a chance to pick his next stop. Folk has played for six teams in his career, per ESPN, and a kicker with his track record usually doesn’t stay on the market long when a team hits a rough patch.
Fantasy football take
Moody is the Falcons’ kicker now, so he’s worth a look in deeper leagues that roster kickers. Kicking indoors helps. Keep Folk on your watch list in case a contender signs him. Baltimore’s kicker spot is a stay-away until the Ravens name a replacement. For more adds this week, see our Week 10 waiver wire pickups and Week 10 start/sit calls.
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