4 free-agent kickers the Panthers should target for camp competition
By Dean Jones
Zane Gonzalez
If the Carolina Panthers are looking for someone a little younger with more upside than your average veteran kicker sitting on the free-agent market at this stage of the offseason, then someone like Zane Gonzalez could be worth a closer look.
The former seventh-round pick spent last season with the Arizona Cardinals, playing 12 games and coming away with a field goal percentage of 72.7 as a result of his efforts.
This wasn’t enough to earn a longer stay in Arizona, with the organization going with the experienced Matt Prater instead on a short-term deal.
Just where this leaves Gonzalez is unclear.
There hasn’t been a concrete offer for his services as yet, so the kicker is probably just looking for an opportunity anywhere to get his foot back in the door before training camp.
Carolina might be able to provide this and Gonzalez offers more in the way of encouragement than most. His career field goal percentage stands at 78.0, which isn’t the worst in the world by any stretch of the imagination but not enough to get an undisputed starting role next time around.
That’s not to say Gonzalez isn’t worth bringing in to potentially earn the right to occupy the top spot on the depth chart and it would be a fascinating battle with Joey Slye in this eventuality.