A few kicking-needy teams could soon be watching Tennessee closely, because Joey Slye’s name is already out there in trade talk.
Jason La Canfora said “a smart GM” is going to land the Titans kicker in a deal, noting that Slye is on an expiring contract with a $2 million cap hit. The veteran has been steady enough in Tennessee to draw interest, and La Canfora tied that possible market to the mess that often develops around kickers during the season.
Over the last two years with the Titans, Slye has made 38 of 46 field goal tries and 36 of 37 extra point attempts. This year, in seven games, he has gone 10-for-11 on field goals and a perfect 10-for-10 on extra points.
La Canfora mentioned Green Bay as one possible fit because of rookie Trey Smack’s struggles, while also pointing to San Francisco and Los Angeles as other landing spots. The 49ers just extended Eddy Pineiro, but he has missed a kick in each of the last four games. The Rams, meanwhile, are already on their third kicker of the season in Brandon McManus after cutting Harrison Mevis and losing Blake Grupe to a torn ACL.
He also suggested the Eagles could look to move some contracts while adding help for a run at the division, though a Week 7 loss that dropped them to 2-5 could alter that approach.
Slye, 30, has been around the league plenty. He first signed with the Giants after going undrafted out of Virginia Tech following the 2019 NFL Draft, was waived in May, brought back in July, and waived again.
He later joined the Panthers as a camp leg and wound up winning the starting job after K Graham Gano went on injured reserve. After re-signing and later agreeing to a one-year extension in January 2021, he was cut by Carolina before the 2022 season.
From there, Slye bounced through injury-replacement stints with the Texans and 49ers before Washington brought him in as its primary kicker after releasing K Dustin Hopkins. He returned to Washington on one-year deals for two seasons, then hit the market as an unrestricted free agent before signing a one-year deal with the Jaguars, only to be cut a month later. The Patriots got him for the 2024 season, and Tennessee has had him on one-year deals for each of the last two years.
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