Kicker Reportedly Backed Out of Deal With Packers in Free Agency

The Green Bay Packers entered free agency needing to add competition at a few positions ahead of the 2024 season. Kicker is one of those areas, yet there's been no news on Green Bay even speaking with potential targets.

While the public hadn't heard anything on that front, that's all changed with a new report.

Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated wrote on Wednesday the Packers almost signed a "veteran kicker" to compete with sophomore Anders Carlson this year.

However, the player in question -- whom Huber did not name, but noted they've been a "full-time kicker for multiple seasons" -- had a "change of heart" and signed with another team after previously agreeing to a deal with Green Bay.

This is quite the bombshell on several fronts. It shows the Packers are interested in veteran talent to improve at kicker, and also reveals there was a player out there who backed out of a contract after giving verbal confirmation.

There's only been four free-agent kicker signings this offseason: Will Lutz (re-signed with Denver), Nick Folk (re-signed with Tennessee), Brandon McManus (left Jacksonville for Washington) and Joey Slye (left Washington for Jacksonville). Each one of those guys fits the bill as a multi-season starting kicker, so it's not easy to pick out the culprit.

Regardless, it's not abundantly clear Green Bay is on the prowl for a new kicker. There's still a few veteran choices left on the open market, with longtime Minnesota Viking Greg Joseph, along with Randy Bullock and Brett Maher, providing fallback options.

Of course, the draft also provides another avenue for a potential upgrade. With 11 total picks currently at their disposal, including five in the fifth round and later, the Packers are in a great spot to take a flyer on a young leg to challenge Carlson in his second season.

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