It’s not often a position discussed heavily during draft season, especially for the Green Bay Packers, who have had Mason Crosby, but whether it be in the draft or afterwards in signing an undrafted rookie, addressing kicker may end up being on Brian Gutekunst’s to-do list.
With the Packers and Crosby not reaching an extension prior to February 20th — and who knows if talks even happened — Crosby will become an unrestricted free agent when free agency begins on March 15th and leave behind a dead cap hit of $1.005 million. Of the difficult decisions that Gutey will have to make this offseason, determining Crosby’s future is one of them.
On the one hand, finding a reliable kicker is no easy task. Just look around the NFL at all of the teams struggling to do so. Last season, Crosby hit 37 of his 39 extra point attempts and 25 of 29 field goals. We also have to mention his comfortability in kicking in the Lambeau Field cold.
However, it’s evident that Father Time is also catching up with Crosby as he just doesn’t have the same leg power as he used to. Of his four misses, three were from 50+ yards. In addition to that, almost 80% of Crosby’s kickoff attempts were returned, which was the second-highest rate in football. He also had the third-fewest touchbacks. There were even two games in 2022 where Green Bay elevated Ramiz Ahmed from the practice squad to handle the kickoffs. Fortunately, the Packers’ kick coverage unit was much improved, but this puts a lot of stress on that group, having to routinely defend.
At the moment, the Packers have one kicker on the roster with Parker White. A 2022 undrafted rookie out of South Carolina, White doesn’t have any NFL experience but has a big leg. With the Gamecocks, he made 72 of his 99 career field goal attempts, including 24 of 45 from 40 yards or more, and 152 of the 154 extra point attempts he had, according to PFF.
Including compensatory draft picks, the Packers are projected to have 11 selections in this year’s draft, and one of them could be used on a kicker if Crosby does not return. Below are a few names to know.
Jake Moody, Michigan
Career: 134/134 on extra points. 63/77 on field goals. 14/23 from 40-plus yards.
Christopher Dunn, NC State
Career: 196/196 on extra points. 91/107 on field goals. 23/33 from 40-plus yards.
Jack Podlesny, Georgia
Career: 153/154 on extra points. 50/60 on field goal attempts. 4/7 from 40-plus yards.
Chad Ryland, Maryland
Career: 171/176 on extra points. 67/89 on field goals. 3/5 from 40-plus yards.
Anders Carlson, Auburn
Career: 160/163 on extra points. 76/107 on field goals. 29/55 from 40-plus yards.
If the Packers don’t draft a kicker, they will certainly sign at least one, if not two, to compete with White this summer. For what it’s worth, last offseason, Green Bay did have three kickers on the roster during OTAs, but Rich Bisaccia told reporters that he didn’t expect to go into training camp with that many, and one was eventually cut. Perhaps if Green Bay is without Crosby, they will take a different approach, given the inexperience at the position, but this is worth noting.
Free agent kickers this offseason, if Green Bay chooses to go that route, include Robbie Gould, Greg Zuerlein, Matt Gay, Greg Joseph, Randy Bullock, Brett Maher, and Chase McLaughlin.
The kicker position can largely be forgotten about, until a mistake is made, but for a majority of the last 16 years, it’s something that the Packers haven’t really had to worry about. However, depending on what happens with Crosby, that could all change.
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