Being an NFL kicker can be a challenging role, often defined by the misses rather than the successful kicks. This has been the case for Green Bay Packers kicker Anders Carlson, whose rookie season in 2023 was marked by inconsistency.
Carlson led the league in missed kicks with 11 (six field goals, five extra points) last season. His struggles continued in the playoffs, where he missed a crucial field goal late in the fourth quarter of Green Bay’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Despite his difficulties, the Packers stuck with Carlson throughout the season, with teammates and coaches offering support after his playoff miss. However, there are expectations that his margin for error will be slim in 2024.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst emphasized the need for improvement from Carlson. This is a notable change in tone from earlier statements where Gutekunst expressed confidence in Carlson during the team’s playoff push.
“We’re really excited by where he’s going,” Gutekunst said previously.
Selected in the sixth round last year, Carlson is one of 10 kickers drafted in the last five years, with half of them no longer on the teams that drafted them. If Carlson doesn’t show significant improvement, he could be the next kicker to face a change in his NFL career.
