Rams kicker options: Best candidates for L.A. after Blake Grupe injury, from Justin Tucker to Matt Prater originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It's easy to forget the value of a kicker until you don't have one, and the Rams don't have one right now.
Los Angeles signed Blake Grupe off the Jets' practice squad to replace the released Harrison Mevis after a Week 5 loss to the Bills, but Grupe went down with a knee injury after attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff in his Rams debut and never returned.
After the game, Grupe was seen on crutches and reportedly said goodbye to teammates.
In all likelihood, the Rams are going to have to find a third kicker in as many weeks. Here's who they could target.
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Rams kicker options
Justin Tucker, free agent
The nuclear option for kicking-needy teams is Justin Tucker, who spent 2025 unsigned and served a 10-game suspension following allegations of sexual misconduct from several Baltimore-area massage therapists. Tucker resurfaced as part of a kicker workout with the Jets this summer, but he still hasn't been on an NFL roster since being released by the Ravens in May of 2025. One of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, Tucker had a down season in 2024 but was kicking royalty for much of his career.
Chase McLaughlin, Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are 1-5, and Chase McLaughlin is a pending free agent. If the Rams are comfortable taking on the rest of his salary and Tampa Bay is willing to go in a different direction next season, he could be an option. McLaughlin entered Week 6 a perfect 10-for-10 on field goal attempts this season, and he's kicking at a 91 percent clip over four seasons with the Buccaneers.
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Chad Ryland, Cardinals
Ryland has some accuracy questions from long range, as he is 7-of-13 from at least 50 yards dating back to last season, but he is coming off a 6-for-6 performance against these Rams and now has an 82.7 percent accuracy rate in parts of three seasons with the Cardinals. After Ryland sent the Rams to 2-4, could be headed to Los Angeles? A trade within the division might be unlikely, but Ryland is a pending free agent.
Daniel Carlson, Saints
The Saints, if they decide they are out of contention at some point, likely wouldn't ask for much in return for Carlson. A late addition this summer, Carlson is only 3-of-6 from at least 50 yards and didn't enjoy the best finish to his time with the Raiders. Still, Carlson was an All-Pro earlier in the decade and wouldn't be pricey from a contract standpoint before hitting free agency in the spring.
Matt Prater, free agent
Does ol' reliable have one more in him? Prater is 42, but he only missed one field goal attempt from less than 50 yards out across 15 games with the Bills last season and just seems to rise to the occasion in big moments. Prater hasn't formally retired, so it might be worth the Rams exploring whether he still has the leg.
Graham Gano, free agent
The 39-year-old Gano battled injuries at the end of his tenure with the Giants, which is a bit of a red flag for a team that has cycled through kickers in recent years. If he's fully healthy, though, Gano could provide some stability for the Rams after going 18-for-21 over the last two seasons and drilling all three attempts from at least 50 yards out.
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