Depth and competition at multiple positions are already becoming focal points for the 2024 New England Patriots. Just because the team spent a fourth-round draft pick on you in 2023 doesn’t mean you’ll have a job this season, or even be on the team. Such could be the case for guards Jake Andrews and Sidy Sow with the selection of Layden Robinson out of Texas A&M. The same could be true for kicker Chad Ryland, last year’s fourth-round pick out of Maryland, who now sees the team signing a challenger for his job.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots have signed veteran kicker Joey Slye to a deal (terms are not yet available). A veteran of six NFL teams, Slye became a free agent after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this week. Slye spent the 2023 campaign with the Washington Commanders, going 19-for-24 on field goals and 32-for-35 on extra points.
Like incumbent second-year kicker Chad Ryland, Slye has a big leg and also can handle kickoff duties (he converted over 83% of kickoffs to touchbacks in his career, though there are new kickoff rules in place for 2024). Slye seems set to compete with Ryland for the kicking job as it’s no secret Ryland struggled in his rookie year. The strong-legged rookie out of Maryland went 16-for-25 on field goals, missing short kicks that would have tied games vs. the Colts and Giants to send them to overtime. He did make a 56-yard kick against the Broncos to win the game on Christmas Eve, the lone highlight of a largely forgettable rookie year.
Ryland beat out veteran Nick Folk, largely because of the draft capital spent on him and his leg strength. Folk went on to have a terrific year after being traded to the Tennessee Titans. Now the next competition begins for Ryalnd as he tries to hold off a veteran challenger in Slye looking to be the first kicker under new head coach Jerod Mayo with the Patriots.
Most Popular
Comments / 0