Cardinals training camp: K Chad Ryland has to prove in camp that 2024 was no fluke
We have detailed a number of key position battles for the team.
Aside from those battles, there are some individual players who have something to prove in camp this year.
One of them is kicker Chad Ryland
K Chad Ryland has something to prove
Ryland was a godsend in 2024 for the Cardinals. Signed when Matt Prater injured his knee, he started out with a bang, making three game-winning kicks in the final two minutes in his first four games, giving the Cardinals wins against the 49ers, Chargers and Dolphins.
He had a great 2024 season. He made 28-of-32 field goals and 26-of-27 extra points. He was a perfect 4-for-4 from 50 yards and beyond, including a 58-yarder.
But the thing about kickers is consistency, and he was not that in his rookie season in 2023. Drafted in the fourth round by the New England Patriots, he had a rocky rookie season, missing nine field goals, going 16-for-25 as a rookie.
He was beat out for the kicking job in 2024 out of camp.
So he has had a bad year and a great year.
We have seen many, many kickers in history, including with the Cardinals, have a great year only to foolow it up with inconsistency.
And because he is making the league minimum and will be a restricted free agent in 2026, the Cardinals have nothing invested in him, including no guarantees.
The job of a kicker, unless he has large guarantees, is never perfectly secure. So if Ryland shows inconsistencies in practices and the preseason, the Cardinals will look for someone new.
Ryland hasn't yet fully established himself, although 2024 was a great start. But he can't simply rely on last year to carry him into this season.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: K Chad Ryland must prove in camp 2024 wasn't an accident
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