Who knows what would have happened with the New England Patriots in 2023 and beyond if rookie Chad Ryland had at least been an average kicker. However, he made just 16 of 25 field goals on the year and that’s all she wrote.
With the team installing a new regime this offseason, Ryland eventually found himself in a competition with free agency addition Joey Slye — a competition he ended up losing. Four weeks into the 2024 season, that decision seems like a good one for the team: Slye is 8-of-9 on field goals, with his lone miss a block.