Cory's Corner: Kicking Position Remains A Mystery
What does it mean to be the Packers' starting kicker?
The season opener in Brazil is 34 days away.
The offense looks fantastic — there has been talk of Jordan Love winning the MVP — the starting receivers and tight ends look sublime. The defense has looked fast and very dynamic — two traits that new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley just flat out covets.
But there has been a thorn that has dug deep into the Packers’ side ever since Anders Carlson missed a 41-yard field in the NFC Divisional Playoff in a 24-21 49ers win at San Francisco.
Now, truth be told, nobody thought that the Packers would be within a kick of the NFC title game. I was impressed that Green Bay advanced to the postseason in Jordan Love’s first season as a starting quarterback.
But the expectations have been raised. The Packers are now in the same stratosphere as the Lions, 49ers and Eagles in the NFC to advance to the Super Bowl.
A kicker cannot hold this team back anymore.
So the Packers thought they had it covered by bringing in veteran kicker Greg Joseph. He is an 82 percent career field goal kicker and he has playoff experience by going 12-for-12 on extra points and 2-for-2 on field goals in the postseason.
Carlson has the slight 60-57 edge on Joseph in made field goals during training camp. But I don’t care about practice field goals. I want to know if you can make the kicks when the lights are the brightest.
So how brave is Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst? Is he willing to part ways with his sixth round pick from 2023? Because if he is, he’s saying that he made a mistake. I’m not sure if he’s willing to do that.
I still don’t think the kicker that runs out of the tunnel for the season opener in Brazil is on the roster. Neither guy has really separated himself. Carlson has done just enough. But is just enough what you want from a Super Bowl contender?
Not me. I want someone that Packers coach Matt LaFleur can trust in a late game situation. I want someone that Cheryl in section 101 isn’t going to bite her fingernails to the nubs whenever a kicker gets brought into the game for a big spot.
There’s a lot of mystery involved with this position. Which is funny because a lot of people don’t even consider kickers an actual NFL position. But without a reliable kicker, the Packers aren’t going deep into the playoffs.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (20)
Rory P Scrotem
August 24, 2024 at 06:47 am
Your last paragraph (unfortunately Cory) is right on the mark!
LeotisHarris
August 24, 2024 at 10:34 am
Right on the mark for what? Let's break down that literary masterpiece:
"There’s a lot of mystery involved with this position."
Really, what's mysterious about the K position?
"Which is funny because a lot of people don’t even consider kickers an actual NFL position."
Who? I'd challenge the author to name ten people who "don't even consider kickers an actual NFL position."
"But without a reliable kicker, the Packers aren’t going deep into the playoffs."
We'd need to agree on a definition of "reliable", and "deep into the playoffs." The top 10 kickers last season included kickers from the Panthers, Ravens, Colts, Seahawks, Giants, Falcons, Steelers, and Raiders.
jannesbjornson
August 24, 2024 at 03:22 pm
They don't call it Foot-Ball just to garner endorsements from TINCTIN....
Guam
August 24, 2024 at 06:49 am
Long term I don't know if Carlson is the guy or not, but he was just a rookie last year and he was far from terrible. Others have noted that his kicking percentage was comparable to previous great Packer kickers during their rookie seasons. Carlson has kicked slightly better this summer than Joseph who is a multi year veteran kicker in the NFL. Yeah Carlson missed that field goal in the NFCCG, but be careful what you wish for........there are worse kickers than Carlson out there.
The Packers are a draft and DEVELOP football team. The Packers could do worse than having Bisaccia work with Carlson for another year.
Mister Chievous
August 25, 2024 at 08:48 am
what say you now after yesterday's debacle?
MadJam
August 24, 2024 at 07:19 am
Someone please butt dial Sir Mason Crosby.
Coldworld
August 24, 2024 at 07:52 am
Carlson is at 82% over camp and I read that he’s been 88% for the last three weeks. Thats the same rate as last season but without the extra point issue and with the kicks longer on average than in season to counteract the more favorable temperatures. Given that he doesn’t play in a dome, that’s pretty close to league average last year. This is likely a topic past it’s sell by date unless he has a disaster today. At this point he’s a near average NFL kicker without considering upside.
barutanseijin
August 24, 2024 at 07:56 am
The season opener is 34 days away? Today is the 24th so 27 September?
Should be plenty of time for getting kicking technique down.
Leatherhead
August 24, 2024 at 09:39 am
20 for 20 inside the 40.
Bitternotsour
August 24, 2024 at 06:32 pm
I know you love math, so again 7 > 3. 8 > 7.
Stop kicking field goals. Score touchdowns, go for two.
Mister Chievous
August 25, 2024 at 08:52 am
3 > 0 , 7 > 6
dark41
August 25, 2024 at 01:26 am
Not anymore after missing a chip shot vs the Ravens. These are the ones that concern me most, chip shots and extra points. And this was in no way a pressure situation as far as the score goes.
Mister Chievous
August 25, 2024 at 08:54 am
i almost forgot what a straight down the middle field goal looked like until joseph nailed that long one
MooPack
August 24, 2024 at 09:42 am
Chris Jacke was a career 76.2% kicker. His worst year in 1999 he hit 70.4%.
Ryan Longwell was a career 83.2% kicker. His worst year in 2001 he hit 64.5%.
Mason Crosby was a career 81.3% kicker. His worst year in 2012 he hit 63.6%.
(He never cracked 80% in his first 4 years. I remember people calling for his head after that 2012 year. In 2020 he missed 4 XP.)
Anders Carlson was 81.8% and missed 5 XP.
Take a deep breath. Don't buy in to a media driven narrative that he sucks and must be replaced after one year. I'd be more concerned with how Josh Myers holds up and if the OL in general will be better with run blocking. Or is Hafley's defensive scheme really going to be their savior on D. I'm way more optimistic on the later.
TheKanataThrilla
August 24, 2024 at 10:34 am
My challenge with Anders is his stats tell me he is excellent under 40 yards and anything above is pretty much 50/50.
stockholder
August 24, 2024 at 02:31 pm
I'd go with Carlson-
He'll do better this year.
And I can't see the packers paying any
kicker, 5mil a year.
MitchAnthony
August 24, 2024 at 03:59 pm
With Joseph being a vested veteran, keeping him would cost just a bit more. But he hasn't really separated himself from Carlson in the battle. He's a little behind Carlson in % but his kicks through the uprights do look centered a bit better.
Slight edge to keep Carlson. Very slight. Even with the missed chip shot.
CanPackFan
August 24, 2024 at 06:01 pm
Every time Carleson sets up to kick, I am nervous. He doesn’t instill any confidence in me from any distance. Under 50 yards, I never felt that way about Crosby. The 40 yarder Carleson missed in the playoffs still pisses me off.
I know this won't be a popular choice, but i would rather see Joseph win. I just have more confidence in the veteran. The money differential is meaningless if the right guy is picked. GPG
DragonSilk
August 25, 2024 at 01:54 am
Keep them both and rotate them on each kicking opportunity. Every time one of them misses a kick chop off one of the toes on their non kicking foot. The first one to lose all five losses the job.
HarryHodag
August 25, 2024 at 10:45 am
Nope. No Carlson. I would prefer a guy who is deadly accurate at shorter range than some guy with a cannon for a leg who can't hit a 30 yards field goal. That's extra point range. Carlson is far, far too inconsistent.
Kicking is 90 percent between the ears and for some reason he's scrambled.