The Atlanta Falcons agreed Wednesday to a contract with kicker Zane Gonzalez, who worked out for the team on Tuesday.
To make room on the 53-man roster, the Falcons released defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham.
The Falcons (3-5) have lost three straight games and collectively their kickers are 13 of 17 on field-goal attempts as Atlanta prepares to depart for Sunday’s game in Berlin against the Indianapolis Colts (7-2).
Distance is the most commonly referenced shortcoming for Gonzalez. From 40-49 yards, he is 33 of 46, and from 50-plus he is 11 of 19.
His career long of 57 yards came on Halloween 2021 at Atlanta while kicking for the Carolina Panthers.
Misses have been a part of the story for Gonzalez, who was 38th in the NFL with a FG percentage of 71.4 in six games with the Washington Commanders last season. In 69 career games, Gonzalez has hit 96 of 120 (80%) field goals. He has converted 146 of 153 PATs since being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2017 draft. He did not appear in an NFL game in 2022 or 2023.
Gonzalez made his only attempt and all three extra points in Washington’s Dec. 29 overtime win against the Falcons last season.
The signing came after Atlanta placed kicker John Parker Romo on waivers. With a chance to tie the score against New England with 4:40 left last Sunday, he missed the extra point and the Patriots won 24-23.
Kicking woes have plagued the Falcons since a season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Younghoe Koo missed a game-tying 44-yarder in the final seconds. Atlanta lost the game 23-20.
–Field Level Media
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