The Green Bay Packers will have a new kicker in 2024. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Packers made the decision to release second-year kicker Anders Carlson just hours before the NFL’s deadline to reduce the roster from 90 to 53 players.
Carlson’s firing is both shocking and completely unexpected. After the team drafted him in the 6th round in 2023, he had a less than stellar rookie season in which he made 27 of 33 field goals (81.8%) and 34 of 39 PATs (87.2%). He also missed several key kicks at critical moments, including a 41-yard attempt in the NFC Divisional Playoffs that would have given the Packers a 7-point lead over the San Francisco 49ers.
This offseason, the Packers brought in several kickers to try and push Carlson for the job, most notably the experienced Greg Joseph. Both Carlson and Joseph struggled in training camp, and neither was able to truly secure the job. However, Carlson’s release does not necessarily mean Joseph will be the kicker in week one, as the Packers could look for a permanent solution on the waiver list or on the transfer market.
All eyes now turn to Joseph, who remains on the roster for now along with rookie Alex Hale. However, Hale is the Packers’ designated International Pathway player and is therefore eligible for an at-large spot on the team’s practice squad. As a result, he will likely be waived and should land on the practice squad sometime tomorrow.
Stay tuned to Acme Packing Company for ongoing coverage of the Packers’ roster cuts, which must be completed by 3 p.m. Central Time.
