After Graham Gano messed up his kick which left to a devastating loss of the Carolina Panthers to the Denver Broncos in the season opener, rumors have started to fly about the team releasing the kicker. Since the Chicago Bears just recently cut Robbie Gould, he could serve as Gano's replacement in the Panthers.
Gano has been with the Panthers since 2012 when he was brought in to replace Justin Medlock. During his time with the team, he was a relatively successful and effective for Carolina. One of his best years was during the 2015 season.
However, during the Panthers' season opener against the Broncos, which served as a rematch between the two since Super Bowl 50, Gano's 50-yard kick leaned to the left, which eventually cost the game for Carolina. This led the Broncos to secure another win over their Super Bowl rivals with only a 1-point deficit.
On any other game, the blame on Gano would probably have been not as bad but since he also made a similar mistake during Super Bowl 50, in which his kick drifted to the right and caused him to miss a field goal, the Panthers could be looking to part ways with the kicker.
If the Carolina franchise decides to go down this path, then it has the option of signing Gould, who recently became a free agent after the Bears released him on Sept. 4.
Ever since Gould debuted in the NFL in 2005, he has been with the Bears. In fact, before he was released, he was known as the player with the longest tenure with the Bears.
It is not yet cleared what caused the Bears to release him but it could be related to his salary. According to reports, Gould, who was about to make $2.9 million this year, will be replaced by Chicago with a cheaper kicker.
Now that he is available, the Panthers could swoop in and offer him a decent contract. If they don't other teams will most likely sign him due to his effectiveness as a kicker. During his last season with the Bears, he was able to complete 33 out of 39 field goals.
