The Carolina Panthers are looking to hold a genuine kicking competition this offseason. One candidate for the starting spot is a journeyman veteran. The other is an undrafted free agent aiming to make his presence felt immediately.
After a rough start to life in Carolina, it seems as if Ryan Fitzgerald is starting to find his feet. Something that puts incumbent starter Matthew Wright on notice along the way.
Fitzgerald's first OTA practice open to the media didn't go well. Joe Person from The Athletic noted his struggles, which turned heads for all the wrong reasons. Thankfully for the Florida State graduate, it was a different story during Tuesday's session.
Ryan Fitzgerald bounces back in fine style at Carolina Panthers OTAs
The same reporter highlighted the improvements made by Fitzgerald, who was largely accurate with his attempts. Wright didn't kick in front of the media, which suggests that the Panthers are alternating between the two to get a broader indication of what both could be capable of.
This will be a big confidence boost for Fitzgerald, especially with the media watching his progress intently. He doesn't want to suffer a fate similar to Harrison Mevis, who started well after going undrafted in 2024 but quickly became surplus to requirements once Eddy Pineiro returned to the fold.
This competition looks a lot more even. Wright's never been able to find a stable footing in the league. Fitzgerald is the lively upstart who many thought could become a Day 3 pick after his supreme consistency in college. It wasn't the best start, but to perform well soon after this early setback shows his resolve in the face of adversity.
That's only going to serve Fitzgerald well moving forward. There will be ups and downs, and the life of an NFL kicker is notoriously precarious. It's all about building momentum gradually, seizing opportunities when they arise, and giving the coaching staff a difficult decision when the time comes. Everything else is out of his hands.
It was a morale-boosting performance from Fitzgerald, but the hard work is just getting started. Ensuring this becomes the start of a prosperous run is the challenging part.
Fitzgerald is back on track. At the same time, getting complacent is simply not an option.