Kicker?

[AZ Native]

Ryland has range that’s probably about as good as praters, is cheaper, much younger and has hit multiple game winners. Appreciate prater but it should be Ryland’s job

TBF Prater has more 50+ yard field goals than anyone in NFL history. Ryland has a tendency to kick low as witnessed in the SF game where they blocked it and ran it in for a TD. That’s why NE cut him. Today’s winning kick was close to being blocked. Just saying let’s not jump the gun.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Keep him. He's got the ice water in his veins and hit a 50 yarder today. Young kicker with no fear is a decade and a half of solid play from an important position. Prater is 40. Love him, but he's 40.

And he missed the only game winning kick he had a shot at last year. From within 40 no less.

We haven’t had a clutch kicker since Chris Jacke. There is ZERO reason to be sentimental about Prater, who’s older than dirt and has never hit a big kick for us since he’s been here.

This dude has hit 3 game winners. Two on the road. For the Cardinals.

This is not a moment to overthink. He’s the guy.

 

[WisconsinCard]

If they cut him on ir he even gets an injury settlement

Well after game one contracts are guaranteed I do believe. So his injury settlement would be his salary for the year. Outside of game day bonuses, if he had any.

If he wants to be released with an injury settlement??? Well I'm not sure how that works. My guess would be he would rather sit on IR and collect his checks.

 

[BigDavis75]

TBF Prater has more 50+ yard field goals than anyone in NFL history. Ryland has a tendency to kick low as witnessed in the SF game where they blocked it and ran it in for a TD. That’s why NE cut him. Today’s winning kick was close to being blocked. Just saying let’s not jump the gun.

The Pats got rid of him because he was missing from all ranges, he was 65 percent on the year. I’m not sure it was specifically because he was kicking low. Not exactly a ringing endorsement but I don’t equate missing wide on 30s and 40s to mean he doesn’t have the leg/approach from 50.

Praters leg will go at some point and I’m not even sure his ability from 50+, assuming he can maintain it, stands out that much at this point with how good kickers have gotten from that range.

 

[BACH]

The Pats got rid of him because he was missing from all ranges, he was 65 percent on the year. I’m not sure it was specifically because he was kicking low. Not exactly a ringing endorsement but I don’t equate missing wide on 30s and 40s to mean he doesn’t have the leg/approach from 50.

Praters leg will go at some point and I’m not even sure his ability from 50+, assuming he can maintain it, stands out that much at this point with how good kickers have gotten from that range.

Prater is 40 and in this final year of his contract. Time to make the shift.

 

[BritCard]

I'm dubious about crowning kickers. I'm pretty sure there are some "We found a kicker" posts about Zane Gonzalez from 2019 when he finished the 8th best kicker in the league.

Prater has a long and proven career. Ryland may just be benefitting from the psychological boost of not being the guy so can play pressure free. Or he may have found his groove. Hard to say.

He was the worst full time kicker in league last year by some distance. Joey Slye made 79.2% of kicks in 2nd to last place, Ryland made 64%.

I'd be wary about moving on from a proven vet just yet. Keep him on the PS, if anyone tries to claim him they can move him up. Or chances are if he goes elsewhere it would only be temporary and we can bring him back later.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I'm dubious about crowning kickers. I'm pretty sure there are some "We found a kicker" posts about Zane Gonzalez from 2019 when he finished the 8th best kicker in the league.

Prater has a long and proven career. Ryland may just be benefitting from the psychological boost of not being the guy so can play pressure free. Or he may have found his groove. Hard to say.

He was the worst full time kicker in league last year by some distance. Joey Slye made 79.2% of kicks in 2nd to last place, Ryland made 64%.

I'd be wary about moving on from a proven vet just yet. Keep him on the PS, if anyone tries to claim him they can move him up. Or chances are if he goes elsewhere it would only be temporary and we can bring him back later.

I really like what he has done so far

But I would like to see more of him to make the final decision

The good thing is we have a young kicker with talent to check out

 

[Dback Jon]

Field Yates
@FieldYates
·
1h

Chad Ryland has now kicked in 4 games as a Cardinal:
Week 5: game-winning field goal
Week 7: game-winning field goal as time expired
Week 8: game-winning field goal as time expired

So he was a slacker in game 6…



He’s done great

 

[juza76]

I'm dubious about crowning kickers. I'm pretty sure there are some "We found a kicker" posts about Zane Gonzalez from 2019 when he finished the 8th best kicker in the league.

Prater has a long and proven career. Ryland may just be benefitting from the psychological boost of not being the guy so can play pressure free. Or he may have found his groove. Hard to say.

He was the worst full time kicker in league last year by some distance. Joey Slye made 79.2% of kicks in 2nd to last place, Ryland made 64%.

I'd be wary about moving on from a proven vet just yet. Keep him on the PS, if anyone tries to claim him they can move him up. Or chances are if he goes elsewhere it would only be temporary and we can bring him back later.

He may feel not to be the guy but has a lot of weight on his back to keep his career alive in the NFL
He had three kick in clutch moments, and he made all of three perfectly in the middle, didn't feel any pressure, Gonzalez face expression showed he was very emotional, instead Ryland is so cold
Its like kicking penalties in soccer, many are invincible in practice but then in real games they lack confidence, it's the mental aspect that make the difference

 

[JosiahLee]

He may feel not to be the guy but has a lot of weight on his back to keep his career alive in the NFL
He had three kick in clutch moments, and he made all of three perfectly in the middle, didn't feel any pressure, Gonzalez face expression showed he, was very emotional, instead Ryland so cold
Its like kicking penalties in soccer, many are invincible in practice but then in real games they lack confidence, it's the mental aspect that make the difference

The mental aspect is the most important IMO. How many times have we seen our kickers make it all day every day when the game isn’t on the line? That’s great and all but to kick it straight down the middle with ice in your veins when you will lose (not tie) if you miss the kick is flat out special.

 

[BritCard]

He may feel not to be the guy but has a lot of weight on his back to keep his career alive in the NFL
He had three kick in clutch moments, and he made all of three perfectly in the middle, didn't feel any pressure, Gonzalez face expression showed he, was very emotional, instead Ryland so cold
Its like kicking penalties in soccer, many are invincible in practice but then in real games they lack confidence, it's the mental aspect that make the difference

Also he may have been resigned to his career being dead and this is all a bonus for him. He's wasn't even on a PS, he was signed off the street.

As I said, hard to say, but he has more bad than good in the league so far in his career and the team should be cautious moving off a proven commodity like Prater.

Prater would also have made all these FG's BTW.

 

[JosiahLee]

Also he may have been resigned to his career being dead and this is all a bonus for him. He's wasn't even on a PS, he was signed off the street.

As I said, hard to say, but he has more bad than good in the league so far in his career and the team should be cautious moving off a proven commodity like Prater.

Prater would also have made all these FG's BTW.

I like Prater overall but we can’t know for certain he would have hit those. In fact, he missed the last game winning fg attempt he took (the last game against Seattle last season)

 

[BritCard]

I like Prater overall but we can’t know for certain he would have hit those. In fact, he missed the last game winning fg attempt he took (the last game against Seattle last season)

True but that was a 51 yard attempt.

Ryland has had to make 34, 32 and 35. I'd put money on Prater making them.

 

[CardNots]

Also he may have been resigned to his career being dead and this is all a bonus for him. He's wasn't even on a PS, he was signed off the street.

As I said, hard to say, but he has more bad than good in the league so far in his career and the team should be cautious moving off a proven commodity like Prater.

Prater would also have made all these FG's BTW.

You must be registered for see images attach

Prater’s first two years in the league.

Most kickers struggle when they enter the NFL. Maybe the hardest job to obtain and hold in the league.

Remember we obtained Prater after Detroit dumped him.

I can’t say for sure but he seems to have missed more games than I would like since the Cardinals revived his career.

Maybe we found a replacement or not but we certainly need to be actively looking for one.

 

[JosiahLee]

True but that was a 51 yard attempt.

Ryland has had to make 34, 32 and 35. I'd put money on Prater making them.

Yeah but Ryland made the 57 yd kick today as well to put us into position for the game winning kick.

Overall Prater has definitely been clutch in those moments as well which I appreciate about him. But he is 40 and in the last year of contract. IMO it’s now Ryland’s job to lose.

 

[Dback Jon]

Also he may have been resigned to his career being dead and this is all a bonus for him. He's wasn't even on a PS, he was signed off the street.

As I said, hard to say, but he has more bad than good in the league so far in his career and the team should be cautious moving off a proven commodity like Prater.

Prater would also have made all these FG's BTW.

So the light in the NFL is never allowed to come on for a player?

You would’ve written off prater after his rocky start to his career


That is one year with the bad adjustment should doom him forever?

And we should stake everything on a oft-injured 40-year-old in the last year of his contract?

 

[az jam]

For me the key was the 57 year FG as this shows he also can kick the long ones as Prater is known to do. They need to keep him and drop Prater when he comes off of the IR. I also feel that the players love Ryland.

 

[juza76]

Also he may have been resigned to his career being dead and this is all a bonus for him. He's wasn't even on a PS, he was signed off the street.

As I said, hard to say, but he has more bad than good in the league so far in his career and the team should be cautious moving off a proven commodity like Prater.

Prater would also have made all these FG's BTW.

Not sure he would have made all of three
Prater has a really long kick range but many of his trajectory in the short field goals were barely good and he missed some extra points as well
The kicks from Ryland this year were perfect, like putting a 10 point score in archery

 

[PJ1]

For me the key was the 57 year FG as this shows he also can kick the long ones as Prater is know to do. They need to keep him and drop Prater when he comes off of the IR. I also feel that the players love Ryland.

That 57 yarder was with distance to spare. He really nailed that one.

 

[BritCard]

You must be registered for see images attach

Prater’s first two years in the league.

Most kickers struggle when they enter the NFL. Maybe the hardest job to obtain and hold in the league.

Remember we obtained Prater after Detroit dumped him.

I can’t say for sure but he seems to have missed more games than I would like since the Cardinals revived his career.

Maybe we found a replacement or not but we certainly need to be actively looking for one.

Many do, also many struggle and always suck.

 

[BritCard]

So the light in the NFL is never allowed to come on for a player?

You would’ve written off prater after his rocky start to his career


That is one year with the bad adjustment should doom him forever?

And we should stake everything on a oft-injured 40-year-old in the last year of his contract?

How did I write him off?

I just said I wouldn't crown him yet. Keep him around and let Prater finish off his career and retire.

 

[TheCardFan]

Are there any playoff teams needing a kicker?

Maybe we can trade Prater.

 

[Proximo]

Have to keep Ryland. Prater was great for us but can’t lose a young kicker like this. This kid has ice in his veins.

I don't consider making extra points - which is what these field goals have been equivalent too - and every kicker makes over 90% of to be all that impressive.

I just don't feel I have enough info to make this call.

 

[BirdGangThing]

didn't want to start a punt thread

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[PJ1]

I don't consider making extra points - which is what these field goals have been equivalent too - and every kicker makes over 90% of to be all that impressive.

I just don't feel I have enough info to make this call.

He also made a 57 yarder yesterday. Prater missed the last time he had a game winning kick. Not keeping this kid over an often injured 40 year old would be beyond foolish.