Imagine the sting of losing a talented player to your fiercest divisional foe— that's exactly what just happened to the Los Angeles Rams with kicker Joshua Karty. In a bold move that's sure to ruffle feathers in the NFC West, the Arizona Cardinals have swooped in and signed Karty straight from the Rams' practice squad, as announced on Tuesday. This acquisition could shake up the kicking game for both teams heading into the crucial stretch of the season.
For those new to NFL lingo, a practice squad is like a reserve bench of developing players who train with the main team but aren't on the active game-day roster unless called up. Karty, who was drafted in the sixth round out of Stanford back in 2024, knows this setup all too well. He faced a rocky start this year, missing several field goals and extra points, which led the Rams to waive him—meaning they released him from the active roster—on November 28. But instead of letting him go entirely, the Rams smartly re-added him to the practice squad to keep his skills in the fold, hoping he'd improve without promoting him back to the 53-man active roster just yet.
Now, Karty gets a fresh shot with the Cardinals, at least for their next matchup, and potentially beyond. Arizona's current kicker, Chad Ryland, has been ice-cold lately, missing a whopping six field goals over his last six games. To put that in perspective, in Week 16 alone, Ryland shanked two out of six attempts, which has the team looking for reliability. Karty, on the other hand, showed some promise this season with a 10-for-15 record on field goals and 23-for-26 on extra points. Looking back at his rookie year in 2024, he connected on 29 of 34 field goals, including an impressive 6 out of 7 from 50 yards or longer—distances that can make or break games, especially in tight divisional battles.
But here's where it gets controversial: Is poaching a player like Karty from a rival really fair game in the cutthroat world of NFL roster management, or does it cross an ethical line in such a tight-knit division? Fans of the Rams might cry foul, while Cardinals supporters celebrate the savvy pickup. With Karty out of the picture, the Rams are left relying on their current kicker, Tanner Mevis, for the remainder of the regular season and possibly the playoffs. Mevis had been flawless earlier, nailing all eight field goals and 32 extra points to start the year, but he finally faltered in Week 16 with a missed 48-yard field goal. That kick, in the dying minutes against the Seattle Seahawks, could have sealed a win for L.A., putting them ahead instead of forcing overtime. Unfortunately, Seattle capitalized with a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion to steal the victory.
And this is the part most people miss: Kicking isn't just about power; it's a mental game under immense pressure, where one miss can swing momentum. As the season winds down, the Rams might face Karty sooner than they think—the two teams are scheduled to clash in Week 18, adding extra spice to an already heated rivalry.
What do you think—will Karty step up and claim the Cardinals' kicking job for good, turning this into a nightmare for the Rams? Or is Ryland's slump just a temporary hiccup, and this move won't change much? Share your hot takes in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you're Team Rams or rooting for the underdog story with Karty in Arizona!
