NFL Player News

The release of Kai Forbath on Saturday solidifies Zuerlein's status as the Cowboys' top placekicker, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Though Forbath performed very capably during his stint with Dallas last season, the Cowboys elected to stick with Zuerlein, whose strong leg led to some productive fantasy seasons during his eight-year tenure with the Rams. The 32-year-old will now be working behind a strong Dallas offense, a context that could help him engineer a bounce-back campaign. Zuerlein made 24 of his 33 field-goal attempts with Los Angeles in 2019, resulting in a career-low 72.7 percent conversion rate.

Gano (knee) -- who has been released by the Panthers -- was deemed healthy by coach Matt Rhule on Wednesday, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Though the Panthers elected to go with Joey Slye as their kicker this season, a healthy Gano is capable of helping another NFL team looking to bolster the position. The 33-year-old missed the entire 2019 campaign while recovering from surgery on his non-kicking leg, but Rhule's statement Wednesday indicates that Gano is now past the issue.

Slye is left as the only kicker on the Panthers' roster with the team choosing to cut Graham Gano (knee), Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Slye filled in for an injured Gano last season and quickly made an impression with his leg strength. The rookie missed four PATs and a chip-shot field goal, but he went 8 of 11 from 50-plus yards and forced touchbacks on 66 of 70 kickoffs (94.3 percent). While there's no guarantee he puts it all together, Slye offers obvious potential to be one of the best kickers in the NFL. He may even have a strong enough leg to warrant fantasy consideration without the benefit of being attached to a top offense.

The Panthers are cutting Gano (knee), Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Gano made 85.6 percent of his field-goal attempts in seven seasons with the Panthers, but he missed the entire 2019 campaign while recovering from surgery on his non-kicking leg. His absence created an opening for Joey Slye, who struggled on shorter kicks but led the NFL with eight field goals of 50-plus yards. This move will clear out $2.8 million in 2020 cap space, though it comes with $1.5 million in dead-money charges for both this season and next. The 33-year-old Gano should get a look with another team if he can pass a physical exam.

Pineiro added eight pounds of muscle to strengthen his leg as he prepares to compete against Ramiz Ahmed for the Bears' kicking job during training camp and the preseason, Larry Mayer of the Bears' official site reports.

Although Pineiro connected on just 82.1 percent of his field-goal attempts last year, he rebounded well from a mid-season slump. Add strength to his leg could help Pineiro on both kickoffs and long-distance field goals, which would come in handy during his job battle with Ahmed. The presence of Ahmed may ultimately not prove to be much of a concern, as he hasn't kicked competitively since 2018, when he made just 15 of 20 field-goal attempts in his final collegiate season at Utah. Regardless, unless the Bears can make significant progress on offense, the team's kicker is unlikely to be more than a fantasy reserve in typical leagues.

Slye is expected to compete with Graham Gano for the Panthers' kicking job during training camp and the preseason, Alaina Getzenberg of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Slye replaced Gano as the Panthers' kicker after the latter went down with a season-ending knee injury during the 2019 preseason. The 24-year-old went on to convert 25 of 32 field-goal attempts and 31 of 35 extra-point attempts during his inaugural NFL campaign. Gano had been the team's main kicker since 2013 prior to his injury.

Gano (knee) is expected to compete with Joey Slye for the Panthers' kicking job during training camp and the preseason, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Gano is still completing his rehab for the left knee surgery he underwent in November, but he looks like he'll be ready to stake his claim to kicking duties once the Panthers resume working out, according to Alaina Getzenberg of The Charlotte Observer. He had served as the Panthers' kicker since 2013 before being placed on injured reserve prior to the 2019 season. Slye ultimately replaced him and had an up-and-down debut season, converting 25 of 32 field-goal attempts -- including an 8-for-11 mark from 50-plus yards -- and 31 of 35 extra-point tries.

Special teams coordinator Heath Farwell confirmed Friday that Stephen Hauschka will enter the summer as the team's top kicker, but Bass will have a chance to unseat the veteran in an open competition, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports. "Then you have a young player like Tyler who is loaded with talent," Farwell said. "He has a lot of ton of upside, but he's got to prove it in the preseason and training camp."

Hauschka has been Buffalo's kicker for three seasons, and while he's lost some accuracy and leg strength from his Seattle days, he's done fairly well in a tough climate, especially on pressure kicks. Coach Sean McDermott also values leadership, which Hauschka provides. That said, Bass has a booming leg and is the rare kicker that actually got drafted, so it's a competition not to be dismissed. Perhaps with the extra roster flexibility rules for 2020, the Bills might even be sold into keeping two kickers, Hauschka for anything inside 50 and Bass for long kicks and kickoffs.

Coach Dan Quinn said that the Falcons are hoping to add some competition for Koo at the kicker position, Will McFadden of the team's official site reports.

While in-person workouts remain inconceivable for the time being, Koo is still going to have to prove himself during the lead-up to the regular season. The 25-year-old is currently the only kicker on the depth chart, but Quinn has remained adamant throughout the offseason that he is seeking competition at the position. Though Koo knocked down an impressive 23 of 26 field goals during his debut campaign in Atlanta, Quinn is wary of anointing his starter prematurely. Giorgio Tavecchio entered 2019 as the lone kicker on the roster, and proceeded to make just four of nine preseason field-goal attempts before being cut.

Bass has signed his rookie deal with the Bills, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Bass and his booming leg were taken out of Georgia State in the sixth round of the recent draft. It'll be tough for him to unseat incumbent Stephen Hauschka with what could be a limited tryout this summer, though the Bills did select him for a reason. With slightly expanded rosters there's a decent chance the Bills keep him around, at minimum, as a kickoff and long field goal specialist.