Patriots sign K Joey Slye

Joey Slye did not have to wait long to find a new employer. The veteran kicker has a deal with the Patriots, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports this.

Slye was released by the Jaguars on Tuesday. Jacksonville – which was already on the list Riley Patterson – was one of the teams to add a kicker during the draft, making Slye expendable. However, the latter is a veteran of 78 matches and will provide experienced competition Chad Ryland at training camp.

Ryland was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft and had a disappointing rookie season. The 24-year-old made just 64% of his field goal attempts, including just five of 10 kicks from between 40 and 49 yards. Ryland missed just one of his 25 extra point attempts, but his 2023 performance didn’t compare well to that of Nick Volkwhich New England released last offseason.

Ryland is under contract for three years on his rookie pact, but teams often move quickly when it comes to finding replacements at the kicker position when deemed necessary. The 28-year-old Slye could be the team’s preferred option depending on how he fares in training camp and the preseason. The former UDFA has experience with the Panthers, Texans and 49ers, but much of his regular season action came with the Commanders.

Slye played six games in Washington during the 2021 season and went 12-for-12 on field goals during that span. That earned him an extended stay in the nation’s capital, and he remained the team’s full-time kicker in 2022 and ’23. However, Slye saw his accuracy drop to 83.3% and then 79.2% over the past two seasons, and the Commanders added Brandon McManus in free agency. That led to Slye moving to Jacksonville before the draft, but he will now turn his attention to earning a roster spot in New England.