New England Patriots Sign Veteran (501 Points) Scoring Weapon

The Patriots needed upgrades for all their offensive units. They traded away Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars and drafted Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick in the draft. They drafted two offensive linemen, two wide receivers, two quarterbacks, and a tight end. Their only defensive pick was cornerback Macellas Dial, and that didn’t come until the sixth round.

The Patriots signed Joey Slye

The Patriots aren’t stopping with the draft. According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Patriots signed veteran kicker Joey Slye. Slye is expected to compete with Chad Ryland for the starting job this fall.

Ryland struggled with his field goal duties last season. He finished 40th in the league in field goal percentage (64%), making 16 of his 25 field goal attempts. He was 7-14 from the 40-yard line and beyond.

The New York Giants signed Slye as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He’s spent time with the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Washington, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s made 121 field goals of the 147 (82.3%)  he’s been asked to attempt. He has 501 points in his five-year NFL career.

NFL and Patriots fans’ initial reaction to the signing

Here are the best takes of Slye being signed by the Patriots. Most fans think Ryland will be cut before the start of the season.