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It’s not a top secret that the Green Bay Packers had a kicker issue going into the offseason. After their playoff debacle with Anders Carlson, the Packers brought in another kicker in the offseason in the form of veteran Greg Joseph. Neither kicker made the cut for the 53-man roster, with the Packers opting instead to sign an undrafted rookie in Brayden Narveson to be the team’s new kicker.
The question now that the Packers are about to find out in the coming 2024 NFL season is whether they truly got the right man whom they could trust to deliver the goods in kicking situations. Another thing raised by Matt Schneidman of The Athletic is whether Narveson will be able to find his footing at his new NFL home.
Mason Crosby was the Packers’ kicker for 16 seasons from 2007 through 2022. The player they intended to be his replacement, 2023 sixth-round pick Anders Carlson, is already gone. After Carlson’s rocky rookie season and underwhelming training camp, the Packers released both Carlson and his challenger, veteran Greg Joseph. Their Week 1 kicker will be undrafted rookie Brayden Narveson, whom they claimed off waivers from the Titans on Wednesday. Narveson made 6 of 7 field goals during preseason games, including a 59-yarder and a game-winner against the Seahawks as time expired, but can he kick in the elements at Lambeau Field?
Green Bay Packers’ new kicker already turning heads
It looks like Narveson is already winning the hearts of the Packers, including head coach Matt LaFleur.
“Yeah, I’ve seen enough to be confident in him,” LaFleur said last Sunday, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN, who also noted that Narveson drained all five kicks in his first practice with Green Bay.
Narveson, however, could take his first attempt for the Packers in a regular-season game away from home – away from the United States, even. The Packers will open their season this coming Friday in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles. Their season Lambeau Field debut will be in Week 2 versus the Indianapolis Colts.
