Patriots reach decision in kicker competition

Not long after the Packers made their kicker decision, the Patriots had theirs ready. The team is moving on from incumbent Chad Ryland, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

This will give Joey Slye the win in New England’s kicking competition. The Pats added Slye this offseason, doing so after the Jaguars had cut him. Slye kicked for the Commanders in 2023. This will mark a quick exit for Ryland, who was chosen ahead of Anders Carlson in last year’s draft.

Green Bay cut Carlson earlier Tuesday; he arrived as a sixth-round choice. Ryland came to Foxborough as a fourth-rounder out of Eastern Michigan. Last year, Ryland beat out Nick Folk for the Patriots’ kicker job, with the team dealing the veteran to the Titans. Tennessee has since re-signed Folk after a strong season.

Ryland did make a 56-yard field goal to down the Broncos on Christmas Eve, ending the Russell Wilson era in Denver, but he struggled mightily as a rookie. The 24-year-old made just 64% of his field goal tries (16-for-25), a rate out of step with the current generation of kickers. The Pats gave him another chance, but he will move on early.

Slye, 28, is a veteran of 78 games. His NFL tenure has included regular-season action with the Panthers, Texans, 49ers, and Commanders. He enjoyed a solid run with the latter team to close out the 2021 season, connecting on all 12 of his field goals and nine of 10 extra points. The former UDFA remained in the nation’s capital for the past two years, seeing mixed results. He will aim to earn an extended stay with the Patriots beginning in 2024 while Ryland looks for a new opportunity.