There are two reasons why a team suddenly brings in a slew of kickers for tryouts a few days before a game.
The first is dissatisfaction with their current kicker and the second is an injury that jeopardizes his ability to play in said game. Since Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter has done a very good job this season, it wasn’t a surprise to learn that the arrival of veteran kickers in South Florida had to do with an injury.
Carpenter is listed as questionable for Sunday’s date with the Bills because of a groin injury that he suffered in practice on Thursday, but we’ll likely know his status sometime before pregame warmups. If the Dolphins sign any of the kickers that came down to work out, Carpenter won’t be playing.
The contenders for the potential opportunity are the same ones who pop up anytime a team has an opening this season. Shayne Graham, Rhys Lloyd and Jeff Reed all showed their stuff and now they wait for a chance to get back into the NFL.