Could 49ers castoff be the Patriots' answer for kicking issues?

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"We’ll look at our options and do what we feel like is best for the team based on what our options are."

That's how Bill Belichick answered a question about New England's kicking situation Tuesday morning. The Patriots currently doesn't have a kicker on their roster after releasing Kai Forbath — their fourth kicker of the season — on Monday.

But could San Francisco have dropped a solution in Belichick's lap Tuesday? 

The 49ers waived Chase McLaughlin Tuesday with Robbie Gould healthy again and back in the Niners lineup.

McLaughlin is a perfect 15-for-15 on extra points this season for the Chargers and 49ers. That's much better than the Patriots, who have an 83.3 percent success rate on PATs, the second-worst mark in the league.

And while McLaughlin has converted on a 50-yard field goal this season — something none of the Patriots' four kickers have been able to do — McLaughlin is also responsible for one of the worst misses in the NFL this season, a 47-yarder in overtime that would have given San Francisco a key division win over Seattle. 

So is McLaughlin the answer? At the very least, he's a candidate for the Patriots to consider before Sunday's showdown against the Chiefs.

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