Panthers just traded for another kicker to compete with Joey Slye
.JPG "The Panthers acquired kicker Ryan Santoso in a trade with the New York Giants on Thursday.")
The Carolina Panthers have added another kicker to compete with Joey Slye.
Thursday afternoon, the team traded a conditional seventh-round pick to the New York Giants for kicker and punter Ryan Santoso. The Giants will receive the pick if Santoso is on the Panthers’ roster for at least two regular-season games. The pick the Giants would receive comes via the Miami Dolphins through either the Tennessee Titans or the New England Patriots from the Greg Little trade that took place last week.
Assuming the pick is sent to New York, the Panthers now have six picks in the 2022 NFL draft.
In a corresponding move, the Panthers will waive kicker Dominik Eberle, who was brought in Tuesday. During Wednesday’s practice, Eberle had a better day than Slye, making 4 of 5 kicks to Slye’s 2 of 5. With the move, the Panthers’ roster will be at 79.
Slye has missed two kicks — from 37 and 63 yards — and one 43-yard point-after try in two preseason games. The former Virginia Tech kicker has been the team’s starter since 2019 when Graham Gano was forced to miss the season due to a leg injury.
“We’re not kicking the ball the way we want right now. We wanted to bring in some competition, and just explore all options,” Rhule said Wednesday. “I know that Joey can do it. I’m expecting him at some point here ... I’m hoping for him that he just kind of gets over this little lull that he’s in right now and kicks the way that I know he’s capable of. At the same time, we’re gonna bring guys in and see what’s the best thing for the team.”
Prior to the 2020 season, Gano was released and signed with the Giants. This preseason, Santoso has been Gano’s backup. He has not attempted a field goal this preseason, but he has made both of his PATs. He also has a big leg, similar to Slye. Santoso kicked off 168 times while at Minnesota and recorded 80 touchbacks.
Santoso, who turned 26 years old Thursday, went undrafted out of Minnesota and has also spent time with the Lions and Titans. He is 6-foot-5, 260-pounds.
General manager Scott Fitterer has now made three trades in the last nine days — moving on from Little, acquiring Santoso and trading linebacker Denzel Perryman to the Raiders.
This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 12:55 PM.
