The Green Bay Packers’ kicking situation is more puzzling than ever

The kicking competition seemed to be over.

Anders Carlson was hot.

Greg Joseph struggled on the home stretch.

Then Carlson did what he had done so many times over the past year.

He pulled a Carlson.

The second-year Green Bay Packers kicker booted a 32-yard field goal wide of the right field goal in the fourth quarter of the Packers’ 30-7 preseason win over Baltimore on Saturday, and suddenly it felt like Green Bay was back to square one.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was then asked if he believed his 2024 kicker was currently on the roster.

“You know, it’s honestly not a question for me,” LaFleur said. “We have a really good sample size and then we’ll see what happens in the league. There were some really good moments for sure. Both guys went in and threw a 54-yarder and a 55-yarder and then there was a bad moment where we missed a chip shot. You know, again, a lot of good. Some of them we know we can be better and we’ll wait and see.”

Carlson missed more extra points (six) and kicks (13) than any other football player in 2023. Carlson also had a chance to give Green Bay a 24-17 lead over San Francisco in the NFC divisional playoffs, but missed a 41-yard field goal with just over five minutes left. The 49ers then pulled away and won the game 24-21.

That’s why the Packers brought in experienced Greg Joseph this summer to compete for the job.

During training camp, Carlson made 60 of 73 shots (82.2%), while Joseph made 57 of 73 (78.1%).

Carlson hit a 54-yard field goal on the Packers’ first possession Saturday and seemed virtually certain to make the roster. But when he missed a chip shot late in the game, the only certainty was uncertainty.

Afterwards, Carlson avoided the media and decided not to speak.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has to finalize his 53-man roster by 3 p.m. Tuesday. And the toughest decision Gutekunst has to make now is between Carlson, Joseph or signing another kicker.

“There are going to be some very difficult decisions,” LaFleur said of the Packers’ 53-man roster. “And sometimes I think, man, I’m glad I don’t have to make the decision.”

Joseph made the decision much more difficult for his bosses by scoring field goals from 50 and 33 yards on Saturday.

Joseph kicked 20 straight at the start of training camp and was successful on 29 of 31 (93.5%) by mid-summer. Joseph had a slump in performance over the last 10 days but was able to get back into contention with a great performance on Saturday.

“We’ll see,” Joseph said. “I feel like everything I put out there I did with no regrets. I worked my butt off and fought every day for this job and this team. The rest is up to them to decide.”

A year ago, Gutekunst thought he could go with a rookie kicker because there were no expectations for a Green Bay team that had just traded away future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Instead, the Packers surprised everyone by reaching the postseason and beating Dallas in the NFC Wild Card round.

Although Carlson struggled down the stretch – and missed an extra point against the Cowboys – Gutekunst stuck with his rookie kicker. And that move backfired on the GM when Carlson missed his biggest field goal of the year against San Francisco.

“He’s got to improve. That’s important,” Gutekunst said of Carlson this offseason. “I think he had a pretty solid year (in 2023), but there’s got to be a curve of improvement if that’s going to continue. I like the way he’s approaching it. He’s very calm and handles the pressure very well. I’m excited to see what he does in year two.”

Now the question is, will Carlson get a second year?

Or will Gutekunst fall back on Joseph or a player who has been released or is on another squad?

If the Packers want to compete for the Super Bowl title – which they believe is possible – Gutekunst cannot get this answer wrong again.