Cardinals elevate kicker Chad Ryland with Matt Prater questionable vs. Packers
Oct 12, 2024, 1:52 PM
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Arizona Cardinals elevated kicker Chad Ryland from the practice squad for the second straight week as veteran kicker Matt Prater is again questionable with a left knee injury ahead of Sunday’s game in Green Bay.
Ryland filled in for Prater last week and hit the game-winning field from 35 yards out for a 24-23 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
The kick is good! @AZCardinals take a 1-point lead with 1:37 to go 👀
📺: #AZvsSF on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/2ZHHnZev8K— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024
Prater practiced in a limited capacity the last three days after missing last Sunday’s victory.
“He’s doing good,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said about Prater on Friday. “We’ll see in the next 24 hours (if Prater will play on Sunday).”
Ryland played last season with the New England Patriots, who selected the kicker in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Maryland. However, the Patriots cut Ryland ahead of Week 1 after the kicker converted 16-of-25 field goals in 2023.
He worked out for the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday of last week and signed with the Cardinals’ practice squad the following day.
Last Sunday, he hit his first attempt from 30 yards but had his second field-goal attempt blocked and returned for a touchdown before nailing his next two tries.
Ryland was the only Cardinals player elevated from the practice squad.
Prater has played for the Cardinals since 2021 and has converted all six of his field-goal attempts this year.
Sunday’s game against the Packers will start at 10 a.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.