The Green Bay Packers will likely have a new kicker this season for the first time since 2007. That year, Mason Crosby took over and went on to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. But this year, GM Brian Gutekunst selected Anders Carlson in the sixth round of the NFL Draft while Crosby was not signed to a new contract. But will Carlson be the answer at kicker for the Packers?
There are two major questions Carlson needs to answer in training camp if he hopes to become the next Packers kicker. If he answers them both, the Auburn alum will become just the fifth kicker the Packers have had since 1989.
First Question for Anders Carlson:
The first issue Carlson faces is proving he can be consistent as a kicker. In 2021, his season was cut short by an ACL injury. In 2020, prior to the injury, Carlson made 20-of-22 field goals. His leg strength and consistency were outstanding, and he was considered one of the better kickers in college football. In fact, he connected on more than 300 consecutive extra points to set a new Auburn record before he suffered the injury.
But after the injury, Carlson’s numbers fell off. He made only 66.7 percent of his field goals in 2021 and 70.6 percent in 2022. Part of the issue was he used a leg brace in 2022 after recovering from the ACL injury. A previously promising career was now called into question.
This year, Carlson will be kicking without a brace for the first time in more than a year. He is optimistic that he can regain his previous leg strength and consistency as a kicker.
Second Question for the Packers Kicker:
Like any kicker, Carlson will face the challenge of kicking in Green Bay. Lambeau Field is not an easy place to kick, especially in the second half of the season when the weather gets cold, the ball gets harder and doesn’t carry as far and the winds whip around the stadium.
In his 16 seasons as the Packers kicker, Crosby mastered the wind patterns at Lambeau and how he had to make adjustments at different points on the field.
Carlson is originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado, so he certainly is familiar with the cold, wind, and snow. Obviously, at Auburn, he didn’t have to deal with the same weather conditions he’ll face in Green Bay, but in high school, he certainly did.
To be the next great Packers kicker, Carlson will have to excel in adverse weather.
If Carlson can answer these two questions, he has a good chance to have a long stay in Green Bay. If not, the Packers could bring Crosby back or move on to another kicker before the 2023 campaign is over.
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