Competition for roster spots remains fierce across the Carolina Panthers. Head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan probably have a good idea of who they're going to take through by now, but that doesn't mean hopefuls cannot turn the tide heading into the preseason.
Canales wants to raise standards by keeping urgency high. Players are forming close bonds, but they're also intensely competing with each other to stick around. Expect that trend to continue in the coming weeks before the time for final cuts arrives.
Some battles are closer than others. But there is one positional competition that has a sense of déjà vu around it after a seismic shift in the pendulum.
Carolina Panthers' kicking competition has shifted in favor of Matthew Wright
The Panthers didn't bring back Eddy Pineiro this offseason after an inconsistent campaign from the veteran kicker. Journeyman Matthew Wright arrived in free agency, and Carolina also signed undrafted rookie Ryan Fitzgerald.
Nothing was guaranteed for either. This was a legitimate race for the No. 1 spot that could go either way. Fitzgerald bounced back from some early jitters to pull narrowly clear in the race earlier this summer. However, the momentum quickly shifted in the training camp pressure cooker.
Fitzgerald, who is looking to achieve his NFL dream after a standout college career at Florida State, has been wayward in recent sessions. That's not the case with Wright, whose composure and accuracy caught the eye during Carolina's recent joint practice with the Cleveland Browns.
Matthew Wright goes five for five on the standard goal posts. Must’ve felt like he was putting into an ocean after 2 weeks on the #skinnyposts.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) August 6, 2025
The veteran is in the ascendancy. Fitzgerald won't be giving up without a fight, but his margin for error has evaporated before taking the field for Carolina's warmup slate.
This invokes memories from the Panthers' preparations last summer. Harrison Mevis, another undrafted free agent, made an exceptional start to life in Carolina as Pineiro opted to skip voluntary OTAs. But it didn't last.
The rookie's rise brought Pineiro back into the fold quickly. It wasn't long before the Panthers made Mevis surplus to requirements.
Fitzgerald is hoping to avoid a similar scenario. The first-year pro has his work cut out, but nothing has been decided as yet. And given how momentum has flip-flopped throughout this competition, it might not take too much to alter the current course once again.
There can be no more mistakes. Fitzgerald's production has dipped as intensity increases and pressure mounts. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence that he can come through in a competitive setting, but it's also worth remembering that Wright has attempted only 63 field goals throughout his career at several stops. He also hasn't held down a starting gig since 2021.
That represents hope for Fitzgerald, but it won't take long for Carolina to end this experiment if he cannot pick himself off the canvas.