Panthers release veteran kicker Graham Gano

The Carolina Panthers have moved on from Graham Gano.

After eight seasons with the team, the Panthers have released kicker Graham Gano. The veteran kicker missed all of 2019 while dealing with a nagging leg injury. Gano joined the Panthers in 2012 after serving his first three years in the NFL in Washington.

Gano has always been a solid kicker in the league, which is why he’s been able to stay around for so long. Providing he’s healthy, he’ll likely find a new home in no time.

Gano had a career year in 2017. He led the NFC in field goal percentage at 96.7 percent, which earned him a Pro Bowl selection.

The Panthers will save $2.8 million by releasing Gano. They’ll now have over $12 million in cap space, meaning they could realistically sign any player remaining on the free-agent market.

Joey Slye will be the man for the job in 2020.

The Panthers will now go with Joey Slye at kicker in 2020. The undrafted rookie hit 25 of 32 attempts in 2019. They’ll look for him to build on a solid if not spectacular rookie year.

As a whole, the Carolina Panthers are going through a change of identity. In the past year, they’ve moved on from longtime coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton. Standout linebacker Luke Kuechly also retired earlier this year.

Matt Rhule and Teddy Bridgewater will look to bring success to the franchise as they enter a new era. If they want to see success, Joey Slye will need to make some big kicks along the way.