Prater (knee) won't play Sunday against the 49ers, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.
Chad Ryland closes out the season as Arizona's kicker, with Prater having missed the past three months due to a meniscus injury. Prater's return to practice for the past few weeks suggests he should be healthy for 2025, but he's scheduled for free agency this offseason and will turn 41 in August. Ryland, meanwhile, is 25 years old and has missed just four field-goal attempts and one PAT all year, bouncing back strong after a brutal rookie season with New England in 2023.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Stays limited in practice
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Prater (left knee) practiced in a limited fashion Thursday, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Prater hasn't logged anything other than limited listings on Arizona injury reports since the team designated him for return from injured reserve Dec. 18. He's been ruled out before both of the last two games, and Friday's report could do the same for the 40-year-old kicker. If Prater isn't able to play Sunday versus the 49ers, Chad Ryland again will fill in in that capacity.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Listed as limited Wednesday
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Prater (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's walk-through practice, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Prater has remained listed as limited on Arizona injury reports since the team designated him for return from injured reserve Dec. 18. He still was ruled out in advance of the previous two games, but it remains to be seen if he'll suffer a similar fate this week. The Cardinals are out of playoff contention, so Sunday's game against the 49ers is Prater's final chance to suit up this season. If Prater isn't able to play, Chad Ryland will handle placekicking duties yet again.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Not returning Saturday
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Prater (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's game at the Rams, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.
Since the Cardinals designated him for return from injured reserve last Wednesday, Dec. 18, Prater has been listed as limited on all six of the Cardinals' practice reports. On both occasions, he didn't progress enough to be given a chance to play Weeks 16 or 17, giving him only one more opportunity to kick again this season Week 18 against the 49ers. Chad Ryland will continue to serve as Arizona's placekicker this weekend.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Stays limited in practice
Rotowire
Prater (knee) practiced in a limited fashion Wednesday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Prater now has been listed as a limited participant on five consecutive injury reports dating back to last Wednesday, but it's unclear if he needs to get back to full participation in order for the Cardinals to feel comfortable enough for him to resume kicking for the first time since undergoing meniscus surgery on his left knee in October. Arizona will need to activate him from injured reserve by 4 p.m. ET on Saturday in order for him to play later that evening versus the Rams, but if he doesn't get back on the active roster for that contest, Chad Ryland will continue to handle placekicking duties for the Cardinals.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Remains limited in practice
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Prater (knee) was estimated as a limited participant in Tuesday's walk-through practice, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Prater is practicing for the second week in a row after the Cardinals designated him for return from injured reserve Dec. 18. He was listed as a limited participant in all three of the Cardinals' Week 16 practices but wasn't activated from IR ahead of this past Sunday's 36-30 overtime loss to the Panthers, so Prater will presumably need to upgrade to full participation Wednesday or Thursday to have a shot at playing Saturday versus the Rams. If Prater misses a 12th consecutive contest this weekend, Chad Ryland would once again handle kicking duties for the Cardinals.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Won't return Sunday
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Prater (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest at Carolina, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Since the Cardinals designated Prater for return from injured reserve Wednesday, he managed three consecutive limited practices, but it wasn't enough for him to get back on the active roster for Week 16 action. He'll thus miss his 12th straight game due to a torn left meniscus, while Chad Ryland will continue to operate as Arizona's placekicker.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Limited in practice
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Prater (knee) was a limited practice participant Thursday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
The Cardinals also listed Prater as limited Wednesday when they opened his 21-day window for a return from injured reserve. Chad Ryland has done a solid job filling in as the team's placekicker and will handle the role again this Sunday at Carolina unless Prater is activated from IR before then.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Logs limited session Wednesday
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Prater (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Prater made his return to practice after the Cardinals designated him for return from injured reserve Wednesday. After missing the Cardinals' last 10 games, Prater may need to upgrade to full participation in practice by the end of the week for Arizona to feel comfortable activating him from IR ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Panthers. If Prater ends up missing another game, Chad Ryland should continue serving as Arizona's kicker.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Practice window opens
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Head coach Jonathan Gannon said that Prater (knee) will be designated for return from injured reserve Wednesday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Prater will resume practicing with Arizona for the first time since Week 6 after undergoing surgery in October to address a meniscus tear in the knee of his left plant leg. The transaction opens a 21-day window wherein Prater can be evaluated, so the Cardinals won't have to add the veteran kicker to the 53-man roster ahead of Sunday's game in Carolina if they're not yet convinced he's 100 percent. While Prater has been sidelined for the Cardinals' past 10 games, Chad Ryland has stepped in as the team's kicker and has converted 22 of 26 field-goal tries and 18 of 18 extra-point attempts.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Team still eying late-season return
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Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday that he remains hopeful Prater (knee) will return from injured reserve this season, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Prater is working his way back from October surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee. The 40-year-old has missed the Cardinals' last nine games while recovering from the procedure, and with Arizona not yet ready to open his 21-day practice window Wednesday, Prater appears safe to rule out for Sunday's game against the Patriots. Chad Ryland has stepped in as the Cardinals' kicker while Prater has been sidelined.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Heads to IR
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The Cardinals placed Prater (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Prater's left knee injury had already cost him the Cardinals' last two games, with Arizona elevating Chad Ryland from the practice squad to serve as its kicker on both occasions. The Cardinals had been hoping for an abbreviated absence from Prater, but with the 40-year-old not bouncing back as quickly as hoped, he'll now have to miss at least four more games. Ryland was signed off the practice squad to take Prater's spot on the 53-man roster.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Inactive as expected
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Prater (knee) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Packers.
As expected, Prater will miss a second straight game due to a left knee injury. In Prater's absence, Chad Ryland, who was elevated from the practice squad Saturday, should assume placekicking duties again. Last week, Ryland went 3-for-4 on field-goal tries, with his only miss coming on a blocked 45-yard attempt.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Not likely to play Sunday
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Prater (knee) is listed as questionable but is considered unlikely to play in Sunday's game at Green Bay, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
The writing was on the wall for Prater to miss a second straight game when Arizona elevated kicker Chad Ryland from the practice squad Saturday. Though an official decision on Prater's status won't be made until Arizona posts its inactive list 90 minutes before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff, fantasy managers should already begin to start looking at other options at kicker for Week 6. Prater managed to log a trio of limited practices during the week, and if he sits out Sunday as expected, he'll aim to return to action for a Monday night matchup with the Chargers in Week 7.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Remains limited in practice
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Prater (left knee) was limited at Thursday's practice, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.
Stretching back to last week, Prater has been listed as limited on three consecutive practice reports as he deals with a left knee injury. The issue sidelined him for this past Sunday's win at San Francisco, when practice-squad member Chad Ryland handled placekicking duties for the Cardinals. Prater has one more session this week to prove his health before Arizona potentially makes a ruling on his availability for Sunday's game in Green Bay. Ultimately, if the team elevates Ryland again Saturday, it could signal that Prater is in line for a second absence in a row.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Logs limited practice Wednesday
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Prater (knee) practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Prater managed just one limited practice last week before he was inactive for this past Sunday's win at San Francisco. A left knee injury has been to blame, and head coach Jonathan Gannon implied Monday that the Cardinals are taking a wait-and-see approach with the veteran kicker, per Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. As such, Arizona's last two sessions of Week 6 prep likely will determine if Prater or practice-squad member Chad Ryland will be the team's placekicker Sunday in Green Bay.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Status TBD for Week 6
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Coach Jonathan Gannon said Monday that the Cardinals will see how Prater (knee) fares in practice this week before determining whether he'll be the team's placekicker this coming Sunday at Green Bay, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Prater mustered just one limited practice (Friday) last week before sitting out Sunday in San Francisco due to a left knee injury. Chad Ryland was elevated from the practice squad and served as Arizona's kicker Week 5, connecting on three of four field-goal attempts and his only point-after try. The missed field goal actually was blocked and returned for a touchdown. In any case, Prater may need to cobble together activity at multiple sessions this week in order to keep his absence to only one game.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Dealing with knee injury
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Prater didn't practice Wednesday due to a left knee injury, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
The Cardinals haven't had any kickers in Arizona for tryouts or visits this week, but they did sign Chad Ryland to the practice squad Wednesday. Prater's ability to mix into some drills Thursday and/or Friday likely will be key for his odds to play Sunday in San Francisco.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Kicker to Sit
Rotowire
Prater had a big game in Week 2 against the Rams with 14 Fantasy points, but he scored nine points or less in three other games, including just two in Week 4 against Washington. The 49ers have allowed just seven field goals on the season, and only Will Reichard in Week 2 on the road has scored more than nine Fantasy points. You can safely avoid Prater in this matchup at San Francisco.
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Cardinals' Matt Prater: Makes both kicks in Week 4
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Prater connected on both point-after tries during Sunday's 42-14 defeat to the Commanders.
Prater's game log remains pristine, as he's struck true on all 16 kicks (six FGAs, 10 PATs) through four contests. That said, Week 4 marked his first outing this season with no field-goal attempts, leaving Sunday's output much to be desired. Among kickers with at least three appearances on the campaign, Prater sits in a tie for 17th at 7.0 points per game with the Ravens' Justin Tucker, Raiders' Daniel Carlson and Patriots' Joey Slye.
