Dan Carpenter

Only one kicker -- Jacksonville's Jason Myers -- has missed more extra points than Buffalo Bills kicker Dan Carpenter this season.

Sure, the NFL has made it tougher on kickers to convert the point-after attempt, which is now a not-so-certain 33-yard kick. But Carpenter's five misses, including one in Sunday's 16-6 win over the Dallas Cowboys, should be a point of concern for the Bills.

But will it impact Carpenter's status with the team next season?

"Well I think with anybody -- and this is any player -- what you look to do is, regardless of the position, you are going to look to give your team the best possibility of being successful," coach Rex Ryan said Monday. "Dan [Carpenter] has had a history being successful kicking here, so that is something you can’t ignore also. Has he struggled this year? Yes, he has.

"But I think -- you know, I don’t see Lou 'The Toe' Groza coming in. If that happens, then OK. We will see what happens."

Ryan's response seemed to indicate some pause about keeping Carpenter as the kicker for next season, although it would take a worthy replacement to push him off the roster, the story indicated.