Who is Cardinals' Kicker of the Future?

The Arizona Cardinals find themselves in a unique position with regard to one of the more crucial members of their squad: who will be their franchise kicker of the future?

This likely wouldn't even be a debate if long-time veteran kicker Matt Prater hadn't gone down in October of 2024 with a knee injury that later required surgery.

Up to that point, Prater was a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals, including three from 40+ and one from 50+. He was a perfect 10-for-10 on extra point attempts.

Then, the Cardinals called on 25-year-old Chad Ryland to fill in for the injured Prater. Ryland was taken in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

Suffice to say, Ryland was not good in New England. The young kicker went an abysmal 16-for-25 in his rookie season, including two misses from under 40 yards. He was 5-for-10 on kicks between 40-49 yards.

But when Ryland came to the desert, things quickly turned in his favor. His first week with the Cardinals saw him go 3-for-4, including the eventual 35-yard game-winner. His only miss came as a result of a block by the 49ers' special teams unit.

Two weeks later, he did it again, as the Cardinals took down the Chargers at home 17-15. But the young kicker still wasn't done, as he knocked through a third (and second straight) game winner in Miami.

But even outside the clutch, Ryland was excellent. While he had the occasional miss, he was asked to provide a large portion of Arizona's points down the stretch, as the offense struggled to find the end zone.

Against Minnesota, Ryland attempted six field goals, making five of them. On the season, he finished 28-for-32 and missed just one extra point on 27 attempts.

He was perfect (4-for-4) from 50+ yards, and perfect from any distance below 40 yards. His misses each came from the 40-49 yard range.

Clearly, the young kicker is finding his way in the NFL after a rocky start, and was quickly endeared to the Cardinals and their fans.

But is that enough to overcome Prater's legacy?

The 40-year-old veteran still has plenty of leg. Known almost as a deep kick specialist, he is a career 75% from 50+ yards, with a career long of 64. All-time, he's made kicks at an 83.6% rate.

With the Cardinals since 2021, Prater is 85.1% on his kicks. No matter how long or how clutch, he's come through in the big moments and the little ones.

The Cardinals have shifted their team-building philosophy in recent years, opting for a more development-focused outlook than going after veteran stars.

With Ryland on the rise, it might not come as much of a shock if Prater is cut loose in favor of the young stud.

With that said, a steady, veteran presence with a huge leg, two pro bowls and a history of excellence might be welcomed warmly back into the locker room.

Considering Ryland also has a history of struggling, and has only found success in a partial 2024 season, there's still risk involved if they opt to roll with the younger option.

In that regard, the Cardinals might have a relatively positive problem on their hands. They can either keep the younger, cheaper option and invest in a developmental franchise kicker, or return to the steady, reliable veteran who has yet to truly let Arizona down.

Ultimately, it seems more likely that Ryland will get the nod, with Prater's age and recent injury taken into account, but it's not as if (on paper at least) the Cardinals can make a truly poor choice out of the two, unless Ryland returns to his Patriot ways.