If Thursday night’s preseason opener proved anything for the Patriots, it’s that their kicking competition is still closely contested.

Joey Slye handled the Patriots’ initial kickoff, a 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and the ensuing kickoff, while Chad Ryland hit two extra points and those ensuing kickoffs in the 17-3 win over the Panthers.

“Yeah, Slye and Chad, those guys are competing, and once again, the game is a small part, and there’s nothing more important than practice,” head coach Jerod Mayo said Friday. “So we try to put a lot of stress on those kickers. It’s still a wide-open competition, and I look forward to to see who wins that competition.”

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Based on numbers ESPN’s Mike Reiss has tracked, Ryland is 24-of-27 on field goals this summer, while Slye is 23-of-28, underscoring how tight the kicker battle really is.

Slye, 28, signed with the Patriots in May. He’s spent time with the Giants, Panthers, Texans, 49ers, Commanders and Jaguars since going undrafted out of Virginia Tech in 2018. Ryland, 24, was selected by the Patriots in the fourth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Maryland. He converted just 64% of his field goal attempts last season, the lowest rate in the NFL. Slye hit 79.2% of his field goals in 2023 and has a career mark of 82.3%.