The Green Bay Packers made some moves on Tuesday in their latest effort to field the most competitive roster possible entering 2024. The Packers enter the season has a dark horse contender to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX.
Green Bay has slowly become one of the youngest teams in the league over the last few off-seasons. However, one 23-year-old won’t be continuing his career with the young Packers squad.
The Green Bay Packers Release 23-Year-Old Ahead Of The Pre-Season
According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, the Green Bay Packers released kicker James Turner. The kicking competition has been narrowed down to two players: returning starter Anders Carlson and former Minnesota Vikings starter Greg Joseph. While Turner had hit 12-of-18 field goals during six training camp practices, Carlson and Joseph had each hit 16-of-18.
Anders Carlson has seemingly responded well to the competition Green Bay created for him. Carlson is looking to rebound from a somewhat tumultuous rookie season.
His field goal percentage and extra point percentage were not up to expectation, with 81.8% and 87.2%, respectively. The average field goal percentage he produced last season was higher than Crosby’s career mark, but he missed a kick in more than half of his games, including the playoffs.
Despite Green Bay’s commitment to their young kicker, they also want the team to be in the best position to succeed. There is no doubt that Carlson’s missed kicks cost the Packers multiple victories. Although no one mistake determines the outcome of a game, Carlson’s kicks could have put Green Bay in position to win in a handful of games decided by three points or less.
The Packers’ front office is hoping this competition brings out the best in which ever kicker they go with. When Packers fans saw the release, they reacted accordingly on social media:
Turner and Carlson were head-to-head in the kicking battle, weren’t they?
— PackersHome (@PackersHome) July 30, 2024
Welcome back to detroit Young man
— 𝒫𝒶𝓅𝒶 𝒯𝑒𝑒𝓃-𝒲𝑜𝓁𝒻 (@bochts) July 30, 2024
The kicking competition heats up. https://t.co/lFsLF2Y1dP
— Matt Hendershott (@MattHendershott) July 30, 2024
Many Lions fans and even some media members were convinced James Turner was the next Justin Tucker. https://t.co/IbZJYXkVaH
— 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟑𝟒𝟒 𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 (@Section344Lions) July 30, 2024
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