The Carolina Panthers have found their replacement for Zane Gonzalez . . . at least for now.
As first reported by ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Panthers are signing Eddy Piñeiro to a one-year deal. This comes one day after the team placed Gonzalez, who sustained a “significant long-term” groin injury in the preseason finale this past Friday, on the season-ending injured reserve.
Panthers are signing veteran kicker Eddy Pineiro to a one-year deal, his agent @DrewJRosenhaus confirmed this morning. The Panthers put Zane Gonzalez on season-ending IR yesterday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2022
Piñeiro already 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.
His 16-game 2019 campaign with the Bears saw him convert on 23 of his 28 field goal attempts and 27 of his 29 extra points tries. Then, over five games with the Jets this past season, he knocked through all eight of field goals and nine of his 10 extra point tries.
The addition of Piñeiro puts the Panthers back at 54 players on their current roster—one man over the league limit. Look for quarterback Sam Darnold, who is expected to return from a high-ankle sprain in four to six weeks, to be placed on the injured reserve to make room.
