Panthers Tracks: What does replacing Joey Slye with a proven kicker accomplish now?
The Panthers and kicker Joey Slye are in an awkward place.
This marriage had an expiration date. Despite the preseason love affair with the giant-legged kicker who could, everyone in the Carolinas knew that, at some point, he wouldn’t, whether that be because of the sporadic accuracy that plagued him at Virginia Tech reemerging as pro, or next season’s return of kicker Graham Gano from injury.
If there was any question that Slye could perhaps hang on for a little longer, that was answered Sunday when he left five easy points on the scoreboard in a three-point loss at New Orleans: Two missed PATs and a 28-yard field goal that could have won the game.
His time should be up. Then again, how much does parting with him and his league-minimum $495,000 salary accomplish?
Sunday’s 34-31 loss to the Saints dropped the Panthers to 5-6, giving them a 1 percent chance to make the postseason, per the New York Times’ NFL Playoff calculator. Bringing in a veteran free-agent kicker (Cairo Santos and Blair Walsh are available) might help the Panthers win a couple of games, but that’s not going to help them reach the postseason, and each remaining victory they tally this year only hurts their draft position.
And as far as it pertains to Ron Rivera’s job status, you can’t put the blame on the coach for a kicker missing three tries from inside 30 yards.
Gano, who is on season-ending injured reserve, posted a photo of his surgically repaired knee to his Twitter account Friday with the caption “The comeback is going to be much greater than the setback. Believe that.” Consider that motivation to get through this wasted 2019 season.
Whether the Panthers cut Slye or ride this season out doesn’t change this team’s fate. All eyes on next season.
— Matt L. Stephens
Required reading
+ Analysis: Repeated dumb mistakes have wasted a Panthers season full of potential
+ Fowler: If David Tepper fires Ron Rivera, he better make sure Panthers can find someone better
+ DeCock: Kickers who miss like the Panthers’ Joey Slye have the shelf life of bruised fruit
+ Panthers receiver DJ Moore shakes off his ‘gross’ arm for career-best game vs. Saints
+ Fowler: Panthers waste a fine performance from Kyle Allen in devastating loss to Saints
+ Report card: Grading the Panthers in their loss to the Saints
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 4:00 AM.
