The Green Bay Packers have far fewer questions going into the 2024 NFL regular season than they did going into 2023. Of course, the biggest question going into last season was whether or not Jordan Love would be an adequate replacement for Aaron Rodgers, whom the Packers traded to New York Jets. There were also questions surrounding Green Bay’s decision to undergo a massive youth movement that saw many veteran depart in free agency and replaced by rookies.
For example, wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb were replaced by Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Interestingly, both receivers individually had more receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns than Lazard and Cobb combined in 2023 (both played for the Jets).
Tight ends Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis were replaced by Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. Again, both young Packers rookies had more receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns than their predecessors combined.
The Green Bay Packers’ Decision to Move on From Mason Crosby in Favor of Anders Carlson Was Not as Successful
While the decision to move on from Rodgers to Love was proven to be the right call, the same cannot be said (yet) about Green Bay not bringing back Mason Crosby. The franchise’s all-time leading scorer wanted to return to the Packers, but instead was replaced by 2023 sixth round pick Anders Carlson.
Even in media-covered OTA’s last season, two things were evident regarding Carlson: first, he had a cannon for a leg; second, accuracy was going to be a struggle.
While Carlson’s rookie season got off to a good start with him making every single one of his kicks in the Packers’ first five games, things quickly derailed.
Over the Packers’ next 14 games (including playoff games), Carlson missed at least one kick in 11 contests. He finished the season with a 81.8% field goal percentage, but only a 87.2% accuracy on extra point attempts.
Throughout the season, head coach Matt LaFleur and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia preached patience with the young rookie. However, now that last season is over and a new one is coming up, neither are willing to have a repeat of last season’s frustrations.
The Green Bay Packers Singed Two More Kickers This Offseason
Last offseason, the Packers just handed Carlson the starting kicker job without him having to do much to earn it. This season, he is not being guaranteed anything.
There are currently three kickers on the Packers’ 90-man roster: Carlson, Jack Podlesny, and Greg Joseph. Bisaccia also stated recently that if none of the three kick well, the Packers could bring in even more competition.
Podlesny has never attempted a kick in the NFL, but made 82.2% of his field goal attempts while playing for Georgia from 2020-2022.
Greg Joseph spent the last three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and has a career field goal percentage of 82.6%. Last season, he made 80% of his field goal attempts, a slightly worse percentage than Carlson’s.
Green Bay Packers Kicker Anders Carlson Had a Great Day on Wednesday
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
According to multiple reporters that were present for practice on Wednesday, two of the three kickers competing for the job practiced kicks: Carlson and Podlesny.
Carlson was 6/7 on his field goal attempts in practice, making kicks from distances that included 41, 45, 47, and 49 yards. His lone miss was reportedly from 51 yards out and into the wind.
Significantly, Carlson was just 4/8 on kicks between 40-49 yards last season.
Podlesny made just 3/7 of his kicks and had started 1/5.
If Carlson has figured out how to be more accurate on kicks between 40 and 49 yards, he will be in a great position to not only win the job during training camp, but also have a great bounce back season.
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