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CHARLOTTE -- Olindo Mare's future with the Carolina Panthers is in doubt.

Coach Ron Rivera said the Panthers are considering bringing in kickers for tryouts today after Mare missed another crucial field-goal attempt in Carolina's 31-23 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

With the Panthers trailing 24-23, Mare hooked a 36-yard attempt wide left with 5:16 to play. Two plays later Atlanta's Matt Ryan connected with Julio Jones on a 75-yard touchdown pass, and the Falcons went on to win after erasing a 16-point halftime deficit.

Mare also missed a 31-yard field-goal attempt in the closing seconds against Minnesota that would have forced overtime.

"The timing of the misses are about as bad as they get, obviously," Rivera said. "We've got to think this through and go through the process, and make sure we make good decisions."

The Panthers (4-9) gave Mare a four-year, $12 million contract -- including a $4 million signing bonus -- to replace veteran John Kasay, who had been with the team since its expansion season of 1995.

If the Panthers cut Mare, his contract would count $3 million against next year's salary cap -- the remaining portion of his prorated signing bonus.

At this point it's unclear who will kick for the Panthers against Houston on Sunday. Among the more notable kickers available are Jeff Reed, a Charlotte native and former North Carolina kicker, and ex-Panthers Shayne Graham and Rhys Lloyd.

The Panthers signed Mare to give them a kicker who could handle field goals and kickoffs -- thus saving a roster spot -- something they didn't have with Kasay.

Mare has done well on kickoffs. He ranks second in the league with 44 touchbacks, but he's near the bottom in the league in field-goal accuracy, converting 76 percent (16 of 25).