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The Green Bay Packers could be losing one of their longest-tenured players in Mason Crosby this offseason, but there’s a chance that the team added his future replacement to their practice squad prior to their regular season finale.
With Crosby’s leg strength declining, the Packers elevated Ramiz Ahmed to the gameday roster prior to their Week 17 kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately, a groin injury during pre-game warmups forced Crosby to handle kickoff duties once again while jeopardizing Ahmed’s spot with the team.
In response to Ahmed’s injury, the Packers signed 26-year-old kicker Matt Ammendola onto the team’s practice squad, according to Matt Schneidman with The Athletic. Ammendola was an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State in 2020, but has spent time with multiple teams including the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets since entering the league.
The team also added former Nebraska tight end Austin Allen to the practice squad in a corresponding move.
While it’s unlikely that Ammendola will have much of an impact this season, there’s a chance that the veteran kicker could compete for the starting job in 2023 if Crosby retires and he’s able to impress enough while with the team.
Could Mason Crosby Retire in 2023?
While the Packers are focused on winning their final regular season game to sneak into the playoffs, there’s a chance that Crosby is seriously considering his future as his 16th NFL season comes to an end.
Crosby was a sixth-round pick out of Colorado back in the 2007 NFL draft. A two-time All-American and three-time All-Big 12 selection, Crosby had an impressive college career that included a 60-yard field goal his sophomore season.
It didn’t take long for Crosby to bring that success to the NFL level, leading the league with 141 points as a rookie. Over the span of his 16-year career, Crosby has been a Super Bowl champion, led the league in extra points three different times, and holds the franchise records for both scoring and consecutive starts.
Unfortunately, at 38 years old, Crosby has seen a sharp decline in his leg strength, particularly on kickoffs. His touchback rate of just 20.3 percent is the lowest of his career since 2010, which took place prior to the rule change that moved kickoffs closer to the end zone in 2011.
Although Crosby still been fairly reliable on field goals, the declining leg strength and his contract expiring after this season could lead to the 38-year-old calling it an end to a productive career.
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While Crosby could be considering retirement after the season is over, the Packers still have a game to prepare for.
Prior to the Week 17 game against the Vikings, the two sides dealt with some friction when former Packers pass rusher Za’Darius Smith refused to shake hands with Adrian Amos. The veteran safety sounded off on Smith’s slight after the game, downplaying the severity of the incident.
The pettiness didn’t stop after the opening kickoff, however. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander did some trolling his own after hitting the Griddy following a pass breakup on superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The Vikings star was held to just one catch for 15 yards in the blowout loss, with Alexander playing a big factor in shutting him down.
It appears that Green Bay’s defense has woken up over the last few weeks, and if the Week 17 performance is any indication, the Lions could have their work cut out for them in the regular season finale.
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