According to ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, the Arizona Cardinals do not seem inclined to tender restricted free agent kicker Chad Ryland. If the Cardinals choose not to extend a tender offer, Ryland will enter unrestricted free agency, opening the door for other teams to sign him.
Contract Details and Career Background of Chad Ryland
Chad Ryland, 26, began his college football journey at Eastern Michigan before transferring to Maryland. He was selected by the New England Patriots as the 112th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Ryland’s rookie deal spanned four years and was worth $4.26 million, including a $786,748 signing bonus. However, the Patriots released him during the 2024 training camp.
Transition to the Cardinals and Performance Overview
Following his release, Ryland joined the Cardinals’ practice squad in October 2024 and secured a two-year contract shortly after. In the 2025 NFL season, he played in all 17 games, successfully converting 25 out of 33 field goal attempts, which is a 75.8 percent success rate, and made all 36 extra point attempts for Arizona.
Implications of the Tender Decision for Ryland’s Future
The lowest restricted free agent tender, which the Cardinals would have had to offer to retain Ryland’s rights, is valued at approximately $3.5 million, as reported by Over The Cap. By not issuing this tender, the Cardinals risk losing Ryland without compensation, but they may be seeking other roster options or salary cap flexibility moving forward.
“it doesn’t sound like the Cardinals plan to tender restricted free agent K Chad Ryland.” – Josh Weinfuss, ESPN
Now that the 2026 NFL combine is in the books, a few nuggets stood out from my time in Indianapolis…
– All the talk – and I mean all the talk – surrounding the Cardinals was about Kyler Murray. Lots of opinions and projections about here he might end up and how. One source…
— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) March 2, 2026
