NFL writer says former Virginia Tech kickers camp battle will "Wage On'' all summer

We are still over a month away from NFL training camps kicking into full gear for the 2024 season. This season, there are going to be several former Virginia Tech players going to camps, and one, Chamarri Conner, even looking to repeat as a Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs.

During his time in the pros as a placekicker, Joey Slye has been good in the NFL, but after last season, he was let go by the Washington Commanders, then signed quickly with the Jacksonville Jaguars before they released him after they drafted Cam Little in the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit back in April. It didn't take Slye long to find a new home to try and win a camp battle this summer and one NFL beat writer thinks he'll be in the thick of a battle right until the final roster cutdowns in late August.

Boston Herald writer thinks Patriots kicking battle will "wage on'' this summer in training camp

Slye signed a a contract with the New England Patriots in early May to battle with youngster Chad Ryland who had an up-and-down 2023 season in Foxboro, to say the least. Boston Herald Patriots' beat writer Doug Kyed released his "Patriots 53-man roster projection" and when it came down to the final three spots on the roster for special teams, he thinks the kicking battle will be a camp-long fight between Slye and Ryland.

"We'll put Ryland on the roster for now. The kicker battle should wage on through the preseason."

- Doug Kyed, Boston Herald

Ryland's biggest moment last season for New England came on Christmas Eve when he booted a 56-yard game-winning field goal in the final seconds of a 26-23 Patriots' win over the Denver Broncos in Colorado. Other than that, he was hit or miss for New England and Slye has a real opportunity to win the job in Foxboro for this season. This will be an interesting camp battle to watch as the preseason unfolds.