The Carolina Panthers are bringing back a familiar face, signing former Pittsburgh Steelers kicker to a reserve/future contract. He will have a shot to compete for the starting kicker role this offseason, aiming to shake things up in Carolina’s special teams unit.
Standing in his way is Eddy Piñeiro, who was rock-solid for the Panthers last season. Piñeiro nailed 17 of 18 field goals, including a clutch 53-yarder, and didn’t miss a single extra point, going 18-for-18. Wright has his work cut out for him, but with the offseason in full swing, he’ll get his chance to turn heads in workouts and training camp.
This marks Wright’s second stint with the Panthers, adding another chapter to his well-traveled NFL journey. He’s suited up for multiple teams, including the Titans, 49ers, Chiefs, Patriots, Jaguars, Lions, and Steelers. Despite bouncing around, Wright has been impressively consistent, converting 56 of 63 career field goal attempts with a personal best of 59 yards.
In 2023 alone, Wright kicked for three different teams, hitting 15 of 16 field goals with a long of 50 yards. His most notable stretch came with the Jaguars in 2021, where he went 21 of 24 on field goals and 13 of 15 on extra points. Now, he’s looking to make his mark in Carolina once again—and the kicking competition just got a lot more interesting.
Wright will face stiff competition from incumbent kicker Eddy Piñeiro, who had an impressive season, hitting 17 of 18 field goals (long of 53 yards) and going a perfect 18-for-18 on extra points. However, Wright’s accuracy and experience could make this an interesting battle in training camp.