Throughout the 2024 season, the [Kansas City Chiefs](https://kckingdom.com/ex-chiefs-defender-makes-big-promise-to-kansas-city-s-afc-rival-01jxsxv2bjns) had three different starting kickers, resulting from injuries. To begin, starting kicker Harrison Butker was placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury during practice heading into their Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Kansas City then signed Spencer Shrader to fill in for Butker.
Unfortunately, Shrader suffered a hamstring injury and was also placed on injured reserve. This led to the signing of Matthew Wright. Wright played two games before Butker returned, but now both Wright and Shrader find themselves on new teams in 2025.
Shrader joined the Indianapolis Colts, while Wright signed with the Carolina Panthers. Both kickers enter training camp in a battle for the starting position. However, it seems Wright didn't end mandatory minicamp on the right note.
Matthew Wright's Roster Sport in Carolina is in Danger
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According to [Jeff Person of The Athletic](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6425946/2025/06/16/panthers-minicamp-takeaways-bryce-young-rookies/), Wright went 3-for-5 on field goals on the Panthers' final day of minicamp last Wednesday. His two misses were from long range. Comparatively, rookie Ryan Fitzgerald went 9-for-10 over the final two practices media got to see.
Wright's struggles with deep field goal accuracy aren't too surprising to Chiefs fans. In 2024, the 29-year-old kicker went 1-for-2 on field goals of 50+ yards. Though that's not a huge sample size, Wright did miss his first attempt of 50+ yards, so when his name got called again, being fearful he would miss was logical.
Beyond that one missed field goal, Wright made all eight of his other field goals and both of his extra points for the Chiefs. That said, last year was not the first time Kansas City called upon Wright to be the starting kicker.
In 2022, he started another two games, going 3-for-4 on field goals and 8-for-8 on extra points. His lone miss for the Chiefs that season was on a kick of 40+ yards.
Despite Wright being a decent replacement kicker, the likelihood he lands as the Panthers' starter to begin 2025 seems slim. Nevertheless, Wright still has plenty of time to prove why he deserves a roster spot.
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