The Carolina Panthers took a number of positive developments out of Friday night’s preseason finale. But that preseason finale wouldn’t let the Panthers go without taking a chunk out of them.
Part of that chunk was kicker Zane Gonzalez, who was carted away into the locker room after injuring his groin on the sideline. The sixth-year veteran was warming up on the kicking net in the third quarter when he slipped on the presumably wet turf and went down.
Head coach Matt Rhule couldn’t confirm the exact diagnosis for Gonzalez on Saturday, but he did classify the injury as a “significant long-term” setback. Rhule also stated that the Panthers will now, obviously, be looking into outside options as Gonzalez’s replacement.
And that search, as first reported by Joseph Person of The Athletic, will apparently begin with Brian Johnson.
Panthers bringing former VaTech K Brian Johnson in for a workout, per league source.
Johnson was 10-10 on FGs last year with Washington and Saints, 9-13 on PATs.— Joe Person (@josephperson) August 27, 2022
Johnson broke into the league last season as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears, where he briefly crossed paths with current Carolina special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. He would later stick on a bit with both the New Orleans Saints and Washington Commanders in 2021, booting through each of his 10 field goal attempts and nine of his 13 extra point tries.
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