Packers rookie Anders Carlson showcases power in minicamp practice

During the Green Bay Packers’ first of two minicamp practices open to the media on Tuesday, we saw our first glimpse of rookie kicker Anders Carlson, who brings a big-time leg to the position.

Due to rain, the Packers spent practice inside the Don Hutson Center, where Carlson had six field goal attempts over two separate sessions. During the first round of kicks, Carlson was good from 41 yards and 47 yards but missed his second kick from 44 yards to the right. A short while later, he had attempts from 49, 51, and 54 yards, making all of them.

For the day, Carlson was 5-for-6 on his attempts. Whether he had made every kick on Tuesday or missed them all has no bearing on what the season might hold for him. However, one takeaway from watching him, and something Matt LaFleur had discussed prior to practice, was that the 6’5″ – 219 pound Carlson packs a lot of power.

"“I think he’s done an outstanding job. Just becoming more consistent,” said Matt LaFleur before Tuesday’s practice. “He’s got a lot of leg. He’s got a big-time leg, and it’s harnessing that power and making sure it’s consistent, but he’s shown improvement throughout the offseason.”"

Carlson’s three attempts, two of which were from 50-plus yards, looked effortless and cleared the crossbar quite comfortably. Although Mason Crosby was still a very reliable kicker inside 40 yards, his power did appear to be fading. Three of his four misses last season came from over 50 yards and, at times, he struggled to get the ball over the crossbar in frigid Lambeau Field. Crosby’s return rate on kickoffs of almost 80% was also the second-highest in football last season, according to PFF.

The Packers selecting Carlson in the sixth round of this year’s draft was a surprise to most, but it was Rich Bisaccia’s familiarity with him that, in large part, gave Brian Gutekunst the confidence to make that pick. Bisaccia had worked with Anders’ brother Daniel Carlson for several years in Las Vegas and met him one-on-one as part of the pre-draft process. Gutekunst also mentioned that Bisaccia has a strong track record working with kickers.

As LaFleur mentions, becoming more consistent will be key for the rookie. During his career at Auburn, Carlson made just 64% of his kicks between 40 and 49 yards and 25% of his attempts from over 50 yards. He also dealt with an ACL injury in 2021, which resulted in him kicking with a brace in 2022, before that season ended abruptly as well due to a shoulder injury. However, along with Bisaccia’s familiarity with Carlson, the Packers also liked his big-game experience.

"“I think he’s a strong mental makeup person,” said Bisaccia. “I think he’s been his best regardless of the circumstance. He’s been in a lot of big games, kicked in a lot of situations in the SEC, and kicked in many bowl games.”"

Finding a reliable kicker is no easy task–just take a look around the NFL. But that’s what the Packers are setting out to do as they transition to Jordan Love in 2023, and as Bisaccia said, they are prepared to “weather the storm” that comes with relying on an inexperienced kicker.