Packers Draft Pick Signals End of Era for Green Bay Legend

After the Aaron Rodgers saga this offseason, Green Bay Packers fans know better than most that all good things eventually meet their end.

Less than a week after the team traded away its quarterback of 18 years, the Packers appear to have parted ways with 16-year placekicker Mason Crosby. Green Bay signaled the end of Crosby’s illustrious run with the franchise by drafting kicker Anders Carlson out of Auburn with the No. 207 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft on Saturday, April 29.

Rob Demovsky of ESPN spoke with Carlson after the selection and asked about Crosby who Carlson “may end up replacing,” as Demovsky phrased it in his tweet.

“Never actually crossed paths with him. Just know the legend that he is and the good things he’s done there,” Carlson said. “Obviously, I want to acknowledge the legacy that he created.”

Packers Kicker Anders Carlson Joins Brother Among NFL Ranks

GettyThe Green Bay Packers drafted placekicker Anders Carlson of the Auburn Tigers in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Carlson played five years with the Tigers, appearing in a total of 56 games and scoring 410 points during that span. He was nearly perfect on extra points, making 173-of-176 attempts (98.3%) for his collegiate career. Carlson connected on 79-of-110 field goal attempts (71.8%), per Football Reference. He also recorded three tackles during his tenure at Auburn.

Carlson is something of an unexpected choice for the Packers considering some of his flaws. According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Carlson is just 5-for-17 from 50-plus yards on his career at a time when range is an increasingly important metric for professional kickers. However, speaking of NFL kickers, Carlson is the brother of Las Vegas Raiders placekicker Daniel Carlson who is generally considered among the best in the league at the position, so the pedigree is there.

Zierlein noted that Carlson is inconsistent on mid-range kicks and is slow through his motions, which leads to a greater chance of blocked attempts. That said, Carlson has also proven himself during high-pressure situations, which is a quality NFL teams demand of any kicker who hopes to make it in the league.

Carlson was the third player selected at his position in the 2023 draft class.

Mason Crosby Stalwart Member of Packers’ Organization for 16 Years

GettyKicker Mason Crosby of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with former teammate and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Crosby began his career with the Packers as a rookie in 2007 and has played in all 258 regular season games since.

For his career, Crosby has made 97.1% of his extra point attempts and 81.4% of his field goal attempts, scoring 1,918 points across his 16-year tenure in Green Bay. He led the NFL in extra points made and attempted in 2008 and 2011, as well as in field goal percentage in 2020 when he made all 16 tries he attempted, per Pro Football Reference.

Crosby is likely to find work with another NFL franchise in 2023 if he desires it. Should he play next season, Crosby will do so at the age of 39. The kicker has earned just shy of $44.5 million during his time in the NFL, per Spotrac.