Before the New York Jets acquired future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, they acquired two specific individuals previously associated with the Green Bay Packers in an effort to lure him to their team. These two individuals, of course, were offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and wide receiver Allen Lazard.
After trading for Rodgers, the Jets added even more former Packers to their roster in an effort to please the four-time NFL MVP. Wide receiver Randall Cobb was signed in free agency, as was offensive lineman Billy Turner. Adrian Amos and Tim Boyle, too, spent some time with New York in 2023, though neither finished the season with the team.
Most recently, the Jets landed Rodgers’ favorite wide receiver from his days in Green Bay, Davante Adams, in a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. In three games since reuniting with his former quarterback, Adams has 14 receptions for 175 yards and a touchdown.
But the Jets were not done adding former Packers this season.
The New York Jets Signed Former Green Bay Packers Kicker Anders Carlson to Their Practice Squad
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
On Friday afternoon, it was reported that the Jets made a change at kicker. They released Riley Patterson, who made three field goals in New York’s 21-13 win over the Houston Texans. To replace him, they signed former Packers kicker Anders Carlson to their practice squad.
Carlson, of course, was drafted by the Packers to replace their franchise leading scorer, Mason Crosby. However, he struggled as a rookie in 2023 and lost the job during training camp this year. Green Bay originally kept Greg Joseph on their 53-man roster, but released him a day after the rosters were released and signed Brayden Narveson.
The Packers have since cut Narveson and signed Brandon McManus.
New York has been rolling with Greg Zuerlein, who has struggled mightily this year. He has made just nine of his 15 field goal attempts (60%) and is 13/14 on extra point attempts.
Zuerlein was recently placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Despite the fact that they have added Carlson, the Jets plan on starting Spencer Shrader. He will be their third kicker in three weeks.
Fans Mock the New York Jets for Signing Former Green Bay Packers Kicker Anders Carlson
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
Carlson himself was recently released by the San Francisco 49ers, who signed him when Jake Moody and Matthew Wright went down with injuries. He was 5/5 on his field goal attempts in two games with the 49ers, including a career-long 55-yard kick.
He did, however, miss one of his four extra-point kicks, something that plagued him as a rookie in Green Bay.
When the news broke that yet another former Packer was headed to New York, fans went nuts on social media:
Carlson, obviously, never played with Rodgers or any of the other former Packers that have since made their way to New York.
Still, it is rather humorous that so many of them have been linked to New York since the trade happened.
