Finding a good kicker is one of the hardest tasks in the team-building process. Carolina Panthers kicker Joey Slye missed his third kick of the preseason on Saturday and, according to the latest NFL rumors, could be on his way out of town. In other news, Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio still isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback, while undrafted free agent Feleipe Franks believes he’s ready to be Matt Ryan’s backup.
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NFL Rumors: Joey Slye, Broncos Quarterback, Feleipe Franks
There is no such thing as job security in the NFL, and that’s especially true of the kicker position. Virginia Tech’s Joey Slye spent the past two years with the Carolina Panthers, but his time with the club could be coming to a close. The former undrafted free agent has missed three kicks in the first two preseason games, and head coach Matt Rhule is clearly not pleased with this development.
“You have to produce and so for, Joey has not produced at the level we need him to,” Rule said following Saturday’s game. While he didn’t explicitly say that he’ll be looking for a new kicker, it’s safe to say that he’ll be exploring the market.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, multiple teams have inquired about trading for New York Giants kicker Ryan Santoso. It’s easy to imagine Carolina being one of these teams, but they’ll probably have to compete with other organizations like New England for the right to the kicker. If the price becomes too high, then perhaps Carolina can just put in a claim when teams cut down their rosters to 53 players.
Vic Fangio Not Ready to Declare A Starter
The Denver Broncos quarterback battle is going down to the wire. Both Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater have performed well this preseason, forcing head coach Vic Fangio to hold off on naming a starting quarterback.
Saying that “both of these guys have done well”, Fangio acknowledged that he’s running out of time to make a decision, but also said that the Broncos can “win with both guys”. The head coach also added that, while a decision won’t come tomorrow, it could be made “early next week, or we’ll let it go another week”.
Teddy Bridgewater is GUNNING for that QB1 job 🎯 pic.twitter.com/j842sLp4oO
— PFF (@PFF) August 22, 2021
Both quarterbacks have performed fairly equally throughout camp and in the preseason, and the tie will probably go to Drew Lock. While his erratic style of play can lead to some on-field disasters, he has the higher ceiling and the potential to turn into a true franchise quarterback. Bridgewater, meanwhile, is nothing more than a journeyman quarterback capable of keeping the ship afloat, but never being anything more than a serviceable bridge at the position.
Feleipe Franks Ready to Be Matt Ryan’s Backup
The worst of preseason football is easily the injuries. While you never want to see a player hurt under any circumstances, it’s especially awful when a player loses a season in a meaningless game. That appears to be what has happened with Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback A.J. McCarron. While the official diagnosis is not in as of this posting, most everyone expects the Alabama product to be done for the year.
With McCarron sidelined, undrafted free agent Feleipe Franks is next in line to be Matt Ryan’s backup. What he lacks in experience, he makes up for in confidence, saying that he’s “just going to put [his] head down and go to work” while adding that he has “the capability to do that job.”
Even with Franks believing in himself, it’s hard to imagine the Falcons rolling with him as the only other quarterback on the roster. Franks completed just four of his nine passes for 46 yards and an interception. While he has some mobility, the Falcons would probably want a more experienced backup. The free agent options aren’t too inspiring, as the best choices are probably Blake Bortles and Josh Rosen.
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