We’re not sure if they can top last year’s extravaganza, but let the 2022 Carolina Panthers kicking competition begin!
According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, the team will be bringing in Eddy Piñeiro for a workout on Monday. The 26-year-old is set to join Brian Johnson, who Person also reported on yesterday afternoon, in vying for the Panthers’ now open place kicking duties.
Those, of course, are open as a result of Friday night’s incident involving Zane Gonzalez—who slipped on the sideline while warming up during the third quarter of the preseason finale. On Saturday, head coach Matt Rhule told reporters that Gonzalez, who signed a two-year extension this offseason after a feel-good 2021 campaign, sustained a “significant long-term” injury.
Piñeiro, like Johnson, has ties to new Panthers special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. The University of Florida product joined Tabor’s Bears for the 2019 and 2020 seasons and, most recently, kicked for the New York Jets in 2021.
He has converted on 31 of his 36 career field goal attempts and 36 of his 39 extra point tries.
