The Carolina Panthers have some questions to answer at the kicking spot this offseason. Some extremely positive reports regarding an undrafted free-agent acquisition threaten to shake things up considerably.
Carolina opted not to bring back Eddy Pineiro this spring after an inconsistent campaign from the kicker. Matthew Wright was signed to a one-year deal, but the arrival of Ryan Fitzgerald means his spot on the 53-man roster isn't safe by any stretch of the imagination.
Wright holds the No. 1 job right now. Whether this continues for much longer remains to be seen, but the early impression left by Fitzgerald was enough to provoke a genuine kicking competition over the summer.
Ryan Fitzgerald leaves positive early mark at Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp
Dave Canales spoke glowingly of Fitzgerald when discussing his performance over Carolina's rookie minicamp. The head coach thinks the Panthers could have a player on their hands, especially after glowing references from special teams coordinator Tracy Smith. He's also eager to get the rookie battling with Wright when preparations gather pace.
"First of all, accuracy. But then there's a lot of power in his leg; the ball jumps off his foot. When we're evaluating the kickers, you know, just looking for the guys that have a process, and he certainly has a plan, certainly has a process, and so Tracy's had great, great reports from just being around him for a couple of days. I mean, we'll start kicking now, and we'll give those guys opportunities. Places I've been in the past, in Tampa and in Seattle, you know, there was fun things at the end of practice, and it's like, all right, let's put the guys up, let's get the team around them and just create a comp a competitive moment."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
This is a positive start from Fitzgerald. There is a long way to go and things can change quickly in the life of an NFL kicker, but it's a positive development nonetheless.
Keeping this up is crucial. The Panthers must see consistency from Fitzgerald in the coming weeks before confidence increases. Pushing Wright to the limit is the best way to unsettle him in this precarious situation. Considering he's been nothing more than a journeyman throughout his career, the first-year pro should fancy his chances.
Canales seems suitably impressed with his initial contribution. Making a good first impression was just the opening step for Fitzgerald. Building on this positive momentum en route to making the roster will be far more difficult.
It'll be fascinating to watch things unfold. But there's no doubt Fitzgerald has given himself a fighting chance.