The Kansas City Chiefs have signed former Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Matthew Wright to their active roster. The move comes after Spencer Shrader, who played two games for the Chiefs this season and was a perfect 9-of-9 on his attempts for the team, was placed on the injured/reserve list with a hamstring injury.
Wright played in Kansas City’s Week 13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, converting four of his five field goal attempts while making his only extra-point try on the day. On their third active-roster kicker, head coach Andy Reid was asked about the organizational feat needed to keep finding solid, healthy kickers for the team’s depth. Reid began by tipping his hat to general manager Brett Veach.
“I always start with Brett and his crew bringing the guys in,” Reid said. “One of the guys, we knew, so we had confidence there, but you’re into your third kicker, so that’s a little different.
“But I think it was good for Spencer to get in there and do his thing, he was productive before he got hurt, that was great for him and whatever lies in the future for him. Likewise, Wright, he’ll go this weekend, so we’ll see if he just continues doing what he’s been doing. He’s done a nice job for us.”
What’s next for the Chiefs despite their kicking woes?
Harrison Butker, who has operated as Kansas City’s kicker for the better part of eight seasons, has not returned from a knee injury that landed him on injured reserve after Week 10. So, with Shrader sidelined and Butker still not ready to return, the Chiefs had no choice but to re-sign Wright. However, this move might be a temporary solution for Kansas City.
Butker is expected to return in Week 15 when the Chiefs take on the Cleveland Browns on the road. So, hopefully, Wright can hold down the fort until Butker returns.
Butker is one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. He’s third all-time, making 89.2% of his field goal attempts since joining the Chiefs as a rookie in 2017. Butker is 18-of-20 for 90% this year but has been sidelined with his knee injury.
Typically, not having a reliable kicker spells disaster for a team. However, the Chiefs kicking woes aren’t as big of a deal. They’re on a historic run, looking to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat as Super Bowl champions.
That’s all because Patrick Mahomes, arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, is leading the charge. Kansas City’s offense is dynamic with Mahomes, making the life of kickers much easier.
So, even without Butker, the Chiefs are still rolling along, tied with the Detroit Lions for the NFL’s best record. So, once Butker is back, Kansas City should be able to hit another gear scoring-wise. If they do, they’ll be much harder to contain, especially when the pressure is heightened during playoffs.
