After a training camp full of uncertainty surrounding the kicker position, Packers all-time leading scorer Mason Crosby will be ready for week 1 after all. Reports surfaced on July 22 that Crosby would start camp on the PUP list. A few days later, Crosby spoke on his injury, saying he planned to be ready for week 1. Concern set in that he may not be ready when the Packers brought in 4 kickers for workouts on August 22. These workouts were in addition to two kickers that had already been in camp, Gabe Brkic and Ramiz Ahmed. Ahmed was the only other kicker on the Packers roster as of today. What they did with him would give us an indication of the direction heading into the season.
Ahmed Released Tuesday Afternoon; Crosby Activated
Packers have released K Ramiz Ahmed, per source.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 30, 2022
Ramiz Ahmed was released this afternoon ahead of the 3:00 PM CST roster cut deadline. In a corresponding move, Mason Crosby was activated from the PUP list:
I'm told the Packers are activating kicker Mason Crosby off the PUP list. He has missed all of camp after offseason knee surgery, but he will kick in his 242nd consecutive regular-season game (never missed one) against the Vikings on Sept. 11.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 30, 2022
Had Crosby not been activated ahead of the 3:00 deadline, he would have missed the first 4 regular season games at minimum. Crosby has played in 241 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
New Field Goal Battery
Crosby enters the 2022 season obviously needing to get on the same page with new long-snapper Jack Coco and holder Pat O’Donnell. Coco made the initial 53-man roster on Tuesday after battling Steven Wirtel for a portion of camp:
#Packers are retaining rookie long snapper Jack Coco on their initial 53-man roster, per source. It was his job to win once Steven Wirtel was released midway through camp.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) August 30, 2022
At least there is some chemistry with O’Donnell and Crosby, as O’Donnell spent time living in Crosby’s basement while house-hunting in Green Bay. O’Donnell played in Chicago previously, and the Packers hope he can perform in cold weather and bring a steady hand to the field goal unit.
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