Arizona Cardinals sign kicker Dan Carpenter
Aug 21, 2013, 3:10 PM | Updated: 9:07 pm
Suddenly, there’s another position battle going on with the Arizona Cardinals during the final days of training camp in Glendale.
The Cardinals have brought in veteran Dan Carpenter on a one-year deal to compete with Jay Feely for the team’s placekicking job.
Carpenter, who spent five years in Miami, was released by the team last week. Rookie Caleb Sturgis is expected to take over the kicking duties for the Dolphins.
“Healthy competition only makes us better,” head coach Bruce Arians said. “We’ve been consistent that whenever there’s the potential to make our football team better we’re going to explore that opportunity.”
Last season, Carpenter connected on all 26 of his extra points and 22-of-27 field goal attempts, including two from 50 yards or more.
Feely has been with the Cardinals since 2010 and has been reliable. In 2012, the 37-year-old hit 25-of-28 field goal attempts.
But in last Saturday’s preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys, Feely missed a 30-yard attempt which head coach Bruce Arians called “unacceptable.”
It is interesting to note that when Carpenter was a rookie in 2008, he beat out Feely for the Dolphins’ kicking job. Feely hooked on with the New York Jets and spent two seasons with them before signing with the Cardinals in 2010.
As a result of signing Carpenter, the team released wide receivers Robby Toma and Robert Gill.
