Green Bay Packers kicker Anders Carlson perhaps received more heat than he deserved following the 24-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round. He wasn't the sole reason the team lost.
However, it's also true that the rookie failed to fill the shoes of legendary kicker Mason Crosby. Despite having the complete faith of the entire organization, Carlson was one of the least consistent and reliable kickers in the NFL. He ranked 29th in extra point percentage in the season, and 23rd in field goal percentage, making only 50% of his field goals 40 yards or longer.
The Packers seem to have realized that they need a new kicker in place. Better late than never.
Packers News: Green Bay Signs Kicker Jack Podlesny
#Packers announce they signed kicker Jack Pedlasny, who spent last training camp with the Vikings but did not kick in NFL last season. He made 61-74 field goals over 3 college seasons at Georgia, an 82.4% clip.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) January 24, 2024
That’s 10.6% better than Anders Carlson’s college clip at Auburn.
It's not clear whether Carlson will be on the team next season, but it looks like he will at least have some competition in training camp.
The Packers just announced the signing of kicker Jack Podlesny to their offseason 90-man roster.
Podlesny, who went undrafted out of Georgia, had a field goal conversion rate of 82.4% and an extra-point conversion rate of 98.9% in his three collegiate seasons.
He had spent part of training camp with the Minnesota Vikings last season before being released in mid-August. He worked out with the Packers in September but failed to make the final roster.
Now, it looks like he is a better bet to make the roster over Carlson whose Packer days might be numbered.