The New England Patriots needed some help on special teams heading into the 2024 season, and they've added a veteran who could be an upgrade.
According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, the Patriots have agreed to a contract with kicker Joey Slye.
Slye, 28, was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia Tech. He was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this week.
In his five seasons in the NFL, Slye appeared in 78 games, making 82.3% of his field goals and 88.5% of his extra points.
The Patriots used a fourth-round pick on Maryland kicker Chad Ryland last year, and he was statically the worst kicker in the NFL.
If Slye isn't brought in to be the team's next kicker, he will at least push Ryland to perform much better. Another year like 2023 at the position is unacceptable.
