Dave Canales isn’t in a rush. Neither is Tracy Smith.
The Carolina Panthers head coach and his special teams coordinator know they’ll eventually need to make a decision on their kicker competition this summer. But naming Eddy Piñeiro’s immediate successor isn’t something they want to rush into, especially as the Panthers get ready for Thursday’s joint practice with the Texans in Houston.
There’s still football to be played and field goals to be made in the joint workout and two remaining preseason games on the summer schedule. So, the coaching staff and front office can afford to be patient with their specialists.
Smith, the primary evaluator of the position, half-jokingly said Tuesday that he’d like to take the competition through the Super Bowl in February. But stashing two kickers on the 53-man roster beyond the Aug. 26 cut deadline would be no laughing matter for a front office and coaching staff that is aiming to surge in the win column this fall.
“I don’t have a date on it,” Smith said. “Let’s have as much information as we possibly can have, and go forward. As long as we have space on the roster to have as many kickers as possible — I’m for it.”
Aug 2, 2025; Charlottle, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers place kicker Ryan Fitzgerald (35) kicks during Fanfest at Bank of America Stadium. Jim Dedmon USA TODAY NETWORK
Matthew Wright, who has been a member of nine different NFL teams since 2019, has competed with undrafted rookie Ryan Fitzgerald since May.
While Wright has never played more than 14 games with a squad, he’s posted an 87.3% field-goal percentage throughout his rolling-stone career. Fitzgerald is coming off a senior season at Florida State where he made all 13 of his field-goal attempts, including five makes of more than 50 yards.
Both specialists have held their own throughout the summer, even as they spar on a more slender than normal field-goal post in practice. Smith said that the skinny field-goal post is used because it is easy to move around the practice field amid the construction zone surrounding the team’s Uptown workout base.
While Fitzgerald and Wright literally have a smaller margin for error with the skinny post, the slender tool is helping the Panthers evaluate what has largely been an even competition dating back to spring practices.
“The kicker competition is going great,” Smith said. “Both guys are doing a really nice job. They both made their kicks in the game. That’s the most important part of it, and we’re gonna keep going forward in the same way, until it’s time to figure it out.”
Panthers kicker Matthew Wright heads off to the locker room after practice on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the team’s practice facility in Uptown Charlotte. John D. Simmons For the Observer
As of Thursday, the Panthers are one of 11 teams with at least two kickers on their training camp rosters. In all likelihood, at least one kicker from the other 10 teams will be released or hit the waiver wire leading up to the cut deadline. So, Wright and Fitzgerald are not only competing against each other, but also the potential cap-casualty kickers elsewhere.
Still, Smith likes what he sees from both of the specialists under his guidance right now.
“I think we have NFL kickers on our team,” Smith said.
Field goals are only part of the evaluation process for Wright and Fitzgerald.
With new kickoff rules in place, the Panthers are trying to be strategic around the “landing zone” on kickoffs. They’ve taken to putting the ball on the ground within the landing area — between the 20-yard line and the goal line — with enough space to avoid the 35-yard touchback, which is being implemented this year.
That strategy requires a retooled skill set for NFL kickers. And a bit of a boost from the analytics department, with weighing the pros and cons of the play.
“You get an advantage when the ball’s on the ground,” Smith said. “If you can get the ball to the ground while you’re covering and they’re still standing still, you have a huge advantage. So we’re aiming for that. It took the kickers a long time to be able to work on that skill. Guys didn’t have that. That wasn’t a good kick in the past, so we’ve been kind of pushing for guys to develop that.”
As Smith explains, kicking the ball through the wall of players in front of the kicker is quite difficult. The coordinator went as far as to call it “awkward” for the specialist, as his coverage team can’t move until the ball hits the ground. But once the ball hits the landing zone, the coverage unit can pounce and potentially thwart a return well ahead of the 35-yard line.
“If you can make it hard for (the return team) to know what’s coming, you got an advantage,” Smith said.
Carolina Panthers rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald stands along the sideline during the team’s rookie minicamp practice on Friday, May 9, 2025. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Canales anointed Austin Corbett as his starting center on Monday. That decision came after a training camp battle between Corbett and Cade Mays. While the head coach didn’t waste time in naming that competition’s winner, he wants to let the kicker battle ride, so Carolina can make an informed decision.
“I’m excited about both guys,” Canales said.
Since the start of the offseason program, Smith has studied both kickers’ tendencies. While the media is only privy to the attempts on the skinny field-goal post during practice, Smith gets to watch their warmup routine ahead of workouts. He also gets to break down the film from their preseason efforts.
“Well, the warmup set before (the team drills in practice) is at least twice as long, if not three times as long,” Smith said. “All those kicks are the same kicks for them, taking the team out of it. So that matters. Their pregame set in all the various stadiums that we’re in throughout this time, that matters as well. The joint practices … and then the five kicks that you’re seeing in the daytime (practice), that’s showtime. And then the kickoff period counts, or the kickoff return period, whichever one we’re doing that day.
“So, all of that kind of goes into it, and in the end you try to see who’s best for the team.”
Figuring out the best option will be an ongoing process for the Panthers’ brass.
Fitzgerald is younger and has a cheap rookie contract. Wright, though, isn’t making much more and has 63 regular-season field-goal attempts on his resume.
One missed kick or bad kickoff won’t (and shouldn’t) be the deciding factor. But it’s safe to say the Panthers want to do their due diligence before handing the reins to Wright or Fitzgerald or perhaps someone else.