The only coach on the Panthers’ staff who has kept his job from last year is special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn. One of the first decisions he will have to make along with head coach Matt Rhule is who the kicker should be going forward.
Right now, there are two options on the roster: the veteran Graham Gano and second-year kicker Joey Slye. Speaking with reporters in a Zoom call on Tuesday, Blackburn said both are talented and a lot of teams would be happy to be in Carolina’s situation.
Both kickers have points in their favor.
Not too long ago, Gano was the most accurate field goal kicker in the NFL. During the 2018 season, he made 29 of 30 field goal attempts – a league-best 96.7%. As a rookie, Slye showed off some impressive range, including a successful 55-yard attempt.
However, both come with some baggage.
In Gano’s case the question is regarding his health. He sat out the entire 2019 season due to a serious leg injury and there’s no telling how that will affect his game at this point. For Slye, the potential issue is confidence. He started out the year hot but his performance took a dive in the second half. Slye bottomed out Week 12 against the Saints, missing a chip-shot field goal and two extra point attempts, costing a critical win.
Slye is younger and cheaper, but that doesn’t make it an easy decision. It will be made more difficult by an abbreviated offseason program and a potentially shortened preseason.
