New England Patriots rookie kicker Chad Ryland could be on thin ice after whiffing on 35-yard field goals in back-to-back games. But a change at kicker doesn’t appear imminent, per Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
“He’s on our roster,” Belichick responded, when asked if he was sticking with Ryland.
Earlier in the week, when appearing on “The Greg Hill Show,” Belichick admitted Ryland hasn’t been good enough. The Patriots then had multiple kickers in for a workout on Tuesday, which signaled a potential change at the position.
If anything, the Patriots are likely hoping it lights a fire under their rookie fourth-round draft pick. They’ve invested a lot into Ryland this season, including moving on from a steady veteran kicker in Nick Folk. So far, that decision has looked like an absolute bust for the Patriots.
Of course, there’s still hope that Ryland can turn it around. He has a big leg and great distance on his kicks, but he isn’t kicking with the same confidence right now. Missing two chip shot field goals in critical moments of games likely isn’t going to help improve that confidence, either.
The fact remains that Ryland could be one major mistake away from watching the rest of the season from the sidelines.