Getty Anders Carlson
The Green Bay Packers are looking at an open kicker competition after a disappointing season from rookie Anders Carlson.
In fact, the Packers have already started making moves to give Carlson some competition in training camp. According to SI.com’s Bill Huber, the Packers approached a veteran kicker to sign him as training camp competition.
Although the two sides agreed to a deal, the veteran kicker had a change of heart and decided to sign with a different team. Huber did not name the veteran kicker, presumably to protect his identity and avoid negative backlash.
Carlson already has some upcoming competition after the Packers signed former Georgia Bulldogs kicker Jack Podlesny. However, it appears that the Packers are seeking a more experienced veteran kicker that could legitimately push Carlson for a shot at starting Week 1 of the 2024 season.
A Tough Rookie Season For Anders Carlson
Packers fans are used to stability at the kicker position after working with Ryan Longwell and Mason Crosby for the majority of the last two decades. Unfortunately, Carlson wasn’t able to provide that kind of consistency in his rookie season.
After Crosby hit free agency, the Packers decided to select Carlson in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The younger brother of longtime NFL kicker Daniel Carlson, the 25-year-old earned second-team All-American honors in 2020 during his time with the Auburn Tigers. While he wasn’t the most accurate college kicker, his leg strength helped him earn a shot at the NFL level.
The leg strength showed up on multiple occasions this past season. He converted on three field goal attempts of over 50 yards, including a season-long field goal of 53 yards.
However, Carlson struggled mightily with consistency. Along with converting a mediocre 81.8 percent of his field goals, Carlson had the fourth-worst extra point conversion rate, making just 87.2 percent of his extra points.
That inconsistency reared its ugly head in the postseason. Carlson missed an extra point in the team’s wild card win over the Dallas Cowboys, then missed a crucial 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter of the team’s divisional round collapse to the San Francisco 49ers. That missed field goal would have put the Packers up seven points in an eventual 24-21 loss.
The missed field goal against the 49ers could have been the last straw, as the Packers are now actively looking for training camp competition at kicker for Carlson.
Brian Gutekunst Wants Kicker Competition
Huber’s report of the Packers approaching a veteran kicker shouldn’t come as a surprise. General manager Brian Gutekunst has already stated that he wants competition for Carlson.
During the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Gutekunst went on record that he wants Carlson to have competition during training camp.
“I’m excited to see what [Carlson] does in Year 2, but there will be competition in the room,” Gutekunst told reporters.
With the ascension of Jordan Love and young weapons like Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Luke Musgrave, and Tucker Kraft, the Packers need a more reliable kicker to come away with points on drives when the young offense can’t find the end zone.
It appears that Gutekunst sees that as an opportunity to find the right kicker to set up this new-look Packers team for a potential Super Bowl run.