Cardinals Sign Rams Kicker Joshua Karty in Divisional Poaching

Arizona adds former Stanford standout to bolster struggling kicking game

Apr. 11, 2026 at 9:53am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the motion of a football kicker, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the dynamic action of the kick.The poaching of a talented kicker from a division rival adds extra intrigue to the ongoing battle for NFC West supremacy.Los Angeles Today

In a surprising move, the Arizona Cardinals have signed kicker Joshua Karty away from the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad. Karty, a sixth-round draft pick in 2024, had been waived by the Rams earlier this season but kept on their practice squad. Now he'll get a chance to compete for the Cardinals' kicking job, potentially facing his former team in a crucial late-season matchup.

Why it matters

This poaching of a player from a division rival is sure to add extra drama and tension to the NFC West race. Karty's addition could provide a boost to the Cardinals' struggling kicking game, while leaving the Rams to rely on their current kicker Tanner Mevis, who has shown inconsistency lately. The Week 18 showdown between these two teams could have major playoff implications.

The details

Karty was drafted by the Rams in 2024 out of Stanford, where he had a strong college career. He struggled with consistency early this season, leading the Rams to waive him in late November. However, the team kept him on their practice squad, hoping he could improve. Now the Cardinals have swooped in to sign Karty, likely seeing an opportunity to upgrade their own kicking game. Arizona's current kicker, Chad Ryland, has missed six field goals over his last six games, including two misses in a single game in Week 16.

  • Karty was waived by the Rams on November 28, 2026.
  • The Rams and Cardinals are scheduled to face off in Week 18 of the 2026 NFL season.

The players

Joshua Karty

A sixth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2024 out of Stanford, Karty has shown promise as a kicker but struggled with consistency early this season.

Chad Ryland

The current kicker for the Arizona Cardinals, Ryland has been unreliable lately, missing six field goals over his last six games.

Tanner Mevis

The kicker the Los Angeles Rams will now have to rely on for the remainder of the season after losing Karty to the Cardinals.

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What they’re saying

“We must be aggressive in finding ways to improve our roster, even if that means poaching talent from a division rival.”

— Steve Keim, General Manager, Arizona Cardinals

“It's disappointing to lose Joshua, but we're confident Tanner can step up and get the job done for us down the stretch.”

— Les Snead, General Manager, Los Angeles Rams

What’s next

The Cardinals and Rams are scheduled to face off in Week 18, which could be a crucial late-season matchup with playoff implications. All eyes will be on Karty to see if he can solidify the Cardinals' kicking game and potentially haunt his former team.

The takeaway

This move highlights the cutthroat nature of NFL roster management, where teams will aggressively pursue talent from division rivals if they see an opportunity to improve their own team. It also underscores the importance of consistency at the kicker position, as both the Rams and Cardinals have dealt with unreliable kicking this season.