Aaron Rodgers' Jets forced to start Packers draft bust after bizarre error

Without wanting to sound like a broken record, remember when we were told Joe Douglas of the New York Jets was a smart general manager? And that Brian Gutekunst wasn't? We're looking at you, Pat McAfee.

Seemingly every decision the two GMs have made since the Aaron Rodgers trade has proven that statement to be false.

Rodgers' Jets are 3-7 and barely clinging to hope in the AFC. Ahead of a must-win game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11, you would assume Douglas would do everything required to give the Jets their best shot?

Apparently not. Their playoff dreams could rest on the right foot of Anders Carlson.

Jets forced to start Packers draft bust Anders Carlson after inexcusably losing kicker to Chiefs

The Packers aren't the only team to experience kicking problems this season. New York had no choice but to move on from Greg Zuerlein after missing seven kicks in eight games.

The Jets turned to rookie Spencer Shrader, who repaid their faith by converting both of his field goal attempts with a long of 45 yards. Including a game he played for the Colts, Shrader has converted all five kicks this season after a perfect preseason.

So, New York has solved its kicking problem, right?

Wrong. Douglas never promoted Shrader to the 53-man roster from their practice squad, which allowed the Kansas City Chiefs to steal him after losing Harrison Butker to injury. To make it worse, the Jets reportedly offered him a spot on the roster after the Chiefs came in, but Shrader understandably bailed to join the defending Super Bowl champions.

It leaves the Jets with Carlson, a former Packers fifth-round pick who is now on his third team in four months.

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The Packers hoped he could succeed Mason Crosby, but after missing a league-high five extra points and following it with an inconsistent summer, they had no choice but to move on. Carlson did convert all five field goals for the San Francisco 49ers this year, but he had one miss on, you guessed it, an extra-point try.

Carlson undoubtedly has a big leg and can make kicks from almost any distance. The problem is consistency, especially in the big moments. He finished the Packers' preseason with a miss from 32 yards that wasn't even close.

In the words of Matt LaFleur: "When he goes out there, I just pray."

Now, it's Rodgers' and the Jets' turn to pray if Carlson has to make any important kicks with their season on the line. And it all comes back to the team's failure to promote their practice-squad kicker to the 53-man roster. You can't make it up.

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