Packers fans are calling for reunion with draft bust to replace Brayden Narveson
In a league where kickers are making field goals from 50-plus yards look easy, Green Bay Packers fans are hitting the panic button.
Brayden Narveson leads the league with four missed field goals. He missed another against the Tennessee Titans that didn't count due to a holding penalty. He missed twice in the Week 4 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, including a 37-yard attempt. It's the only unsuccessful attempt within 40 yards in the NFL this season.
It's a concern. A real concern.
The Packers have Super Bowl aspirations, but kicking problems quickly derailed their playoff dreams last January, and unless they can find a solution, the same could happen again.
After spending an entire summer figuring out whether Anders Carlson or Greg Joseph should win the kicking job, the Packers decided that neither deserved the opportunity. Unfortunately, their replacement has produced similar results, and it has led to some Packers fans calling for Carlson. Yes, you read that right.
Packers fans are calling for Anders Carlson reunion after kicking woes continue
All of a sudden, now the Packers want patience at kicker. They didn't take the same approach with Carlson or Joseph. But even if they do move on from Narveson, there isn't exactly a long line of reliable kickers waiting for them in free agency. Among them? Carlson, the Packers' 2023 sixth-round pick who failed to make the 53-man roster this summer.
Carlson's name has trended on X (formerly Twitter) in recent days, with several Packers fans wishing he was still the kicker. Some are joking, but many believe the team would be better off reuniting with Carlson, and they could be right.
Anders Carlson in 2023 vs. Brayden Narveson in 2024
Player | FG% | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Anders Carlson | 81.8 | 14/14 | 4/8 | 3/5 |
Brayden Narveson | 69.2 | 2/3 | 3/6 | 0/0 |
Carlson never missed a field goal within 40 yards, although he did miss five extra-point tries. Both kickers have experienced similar issues in the 40-49 range. Narveson hasn't been tested beyond 50, whereas Carlson actually enjoyed some success. Carlson has a clear advantage in overall field goal percentage, but Narveson's number is based on a small sample size.
The fact we are comparing the two shows how bad the Packers' kicking situation is. The team moved on from Carlson for a reason. He lacked consistency all summer and missed a 32-yard field goal in the preseason finale. At the very least, Narveson provides the unknown. He is off to a rough start but still has time to turn it around.
Other free agent options include Brett Maher, who made just 73.9 percent of his kicks last season, and Riley Patterson, who has an 88.1 career percentage but struggled in the preseason for the Washington Commanders.
The options aren't great, but re-signing Carlson almost certainly isn't the answer.
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