The Green Bay Packers have many questions surrounding the return of certain players from last season. Aaron Rodgers aside, there are several key veterans that are now free agents and may not return. On Tuesday, Brian Gutekunst addressed the media at the NFL Combine. When answering questions regarding the Packers’ situation at kicker, he all but guaranteed that the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Mason Crosby, would be back in 2023.
The Green Bay Packers Expect Mason Crosby to Return in 2023
For a good portion of the 2022 season, there was speculation that it was Crosby’s last season in Green Bay. While his accuracy on field goals improved from 2021, there were concerns that he had lost the leg strength needed to kick the ball far enough on kickoffs. According to Gutekunst, however, that does not seem to be a concern for the Packers going forward:
“To be able to kick in Lambeau Field in clutch situations, I mean any new kicker, that’s gonna be tough for those guys. That takes time and Mason has that. He has that experience. I think you’ll see a stronger leg and a different power in his leg on kickoffs this coming year just because he won’t be coming off that surgery.
“He went through a pretty significant little injury right before the season started. I don’t know if he was ever really able to completely catch up because of what we were asking him to do. He had to go out there and kick for us right away. So, I think it’s a credit to him.”
There should be no doubt that Crosby can still get it done. Remember Week 17 against the Vikings? Crosby led the special teams unit out onto the field, defying both Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers, and proceeded to kick a 56-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Crosby is a leader and, if fully healthy, as good a kick as there is, especially given the weather situation in Green Bay. Having him back in 2023 will be a huge boost for the Packers.
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