Panthers STC Tracy Smith is asked about the team's kicker competition
Special teams coordinator Tracy Smith spoke on Tuesday following the team's latest outing of training camp. He told reporters that the kicking competition between veteran journeyman Matthew Wright and undrafted rookie Ryan Fitzgerald is going "great."
"Both guys are doin' a really nice job," Smith stated. "Both made their kicks in the game—that's the most important part of it. And we're gonna keep going forward in the same way until it's time to figure it out."
Friday's preseason opener, a 30-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, saw Wright boot through his extra point try in the first quarter. Fitzgerald would later convert on his lone attempt, a 32-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.
Smith was then asked how long he thinks the competition will go on for.
"Oh, I would go to the Super Bowl," he replied jokingly. "The more kickers we can have, the better. Just keep 'em going. I don't have a date on it. Let's have as much information as we can possibly can have and go forward. As long as we have space on the roster to have as many kickers as possible, I'm all for it."
Smith later added, when asked if he thinks Wright or Fitzgerald is the answer, that he believes the Panthers have "NFL kickers" on their team.
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