Not every position battle can be exciting for everyone. Take, for example, the lingering Green Bay Packers kicker competition between Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph, which is one of many concerns that has head coach Matt LaFleur stumped. Carlson, a second-year player out of Auburn, may be most known for missing a kick that could have secured a tie (or win) against the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round contest. Greg Joseph, a seven-year veteran best known for his three-year run with the Minnesota Vikings from 2021 to 2023, is looking to unseat Carlson, yet neither kicker can seem to string together the consistency to do so.
According to his postgame comments after the team's 30-7 win over the Baltimore Ravens, LaFleur seemed unsure about the kicker competition and will leave the final decision to general manager Brian Gutekunst.
“That's not even a question for me,” LaFleur said. “We've got a really good sample size, and then we'll see what happens just around the league. Certainly there were some good moments … and then there's a poor moment there where we missed a chip shot. Lotta good, some we know we can be better at, and we'll wait and see.”
In this win over the Ravens, Joseph finished 2-for-2 with a long of 55 yards and converted one XP. Carlson went 1-for-2, missing a 32-yarder, making another from 54 yards out and converting two XPs.
The kicker competition between Anders Carlson, Greg Joseph
A team with iffy special teams always seems to find itself in a position where poor execution can cost them the game. Last year, the kicking game was an issue and was spoken about often during the Packers' postseason run. And what do you know, Carlson missed a critical kick that could have salvaged, or at least give Jordan Love another chance to win against the 49ers.
The following quote is from Ryan Wood of USA Today, who interviewed the team after the loss.
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“Anders Carlson says everything in operation was good on his miss. He had the right line. Just missed the kick, contacted wrong spot off his foot: ‘It’s tough to do to these guys. That’s what hurts the worst. They’ve got a bright future ahead of them, but it definitely hurts.'”
The most recent miss on such a short kick may doom Carlson's future. The Packers will also have many options become available on the waiver wire after cut-down day, when teams reduce down to 53-man rosters. Teams must reach the lower limit on Tuesday, August 27.
Green Bay begins its regular season on Friday, September 6, at 8:15 p.m. EST, against the Philadelphia Eagles. The game will be played in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the NFL's first-ever game in the country.
