The Green Bay Packers have faced significant challenges at the kicker position over the last year.
After the 2022 NFL season, they decided to part ways with Mason Crosby, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. To fill the void, the Packers selected Anders Carlson in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
This decision was met with skepticism, given Carlson’s status as a kicker who was not highly regarded by many experts. Concerns only grew when the Packers opted not to bring in any competition for Carlson during training camp.
The results were disastrous.
Former Packers kicker Anders Carlson had a rough 2023 season,
making 81.8% of his field goals and just 87.2% of his extra point attempts. His lack of consistency was alarming. Though Carlson started the season strong, making all his kicks in the first third, his performance declined dramatically.
He ended up having one of the worst seasons for a Packers kicker in recent memory. Even though Crosby had a few seasons with a field goal percentage below 80%, he was typically reliable with extra points.
In contrast, Carlson missed more kicks than any other NFL kicker last season. At one point, he missed at least one kick in 10 of 12 games, a stretch that included both of Green Bay’s NFL Playoff matchups.
The Packers ultimately lost their second playoff game to the San Francisco 49ers by three points, a loss that underscored Carlson’s struggles.
Determined to improve their kicking game, the Packers brought in veteran Greg Joseph to compete with Carlson during training camp. Joseph had spent the previous three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
Initially, the training camp competition between the two kickers was intense, with both showing improved accuracy over the offseason. However, Carlson began to falter, allowing Joseph to gain the upper hand.
The competition remained close, though, as Joseph also had a poor week of practice near the end of camp, leveling the playing field once more.
The situation came to a head when Carlson missed a short, chip-shot field goal in Green Bay’s final preseason game. As a result, he was released when the Packers announced their initial 53-man roster.
Joseph was retained but only briefly, as Green Bay claimed Brayden Narveson off waivers from the Tennessee Titans the next day, leading to Joseph’s release.
Despite this setback, Greg Joseph quickly found a new opportunity. Earlier today, his agent announced that he had signed with the Detroit Lions’ practice squad.
Joseph brings a solid record, with a career field goal percentage of 82.6% and a 90.1% success rate on extra points. Before his tenure with the Vikings, Joseph spent a year each with the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans.
He has also had stints on the practice squads of the Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Joseph’s signing with the Lions’ practice squad comes at a time when the team is looking to bolster its special teams unit. His experience with multiple teams and decent track record should offer some stability to Detroit’s kicking game.
Meanwhile, the Packers continue to search for answers at the kicker position, hoping that Narveson will provide the consistency that Carlson could not. As the season progresses, both teams will closely monitor their kicking situations, knowing how critical this position can be in tight games, especially in playoff scenarios.
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