The Green Bay Packers must determine whether or not they’re ready to move onto a new era at kicker this offseason.
Mason Crosby, the franchise’s leader in points scored, will be an unrestricted free agent when his contract expires in March. He turns 36 in September but is coming off a season in which he was named a Pro Bowl alternate.
Here’s the case for and against re-signing Crosby:
Case for
Crosby, who has spent his entire career in Green Bay, is coming off his best NFL season. He hit 22 of 24 field goals, tying the franchise record for field goal percentage in a season, and he hit 46 of 47 extra points overall, including the postseason. Despite trying off-the-field circumstances, Crosby remained mentally strong and as trustworthy as ever. Since last year’s disaster and Detroit, he’s been nearly automatic. During both wins over the Lions, Crosby hit the game-winner. His leg strength is no longer elite but it’s still good enough. He finished sixth in the NFL in touchback percentage in 2019 and has six field goals over 50 yards since 2018. Crosby has kicked in the cold and unpredictable conditions in Green Bay since 2007 and knows exactly how to handle adverse weather at Lambeau Field. He’s also playoff-tested, with 26 made field goals over 20 career postseason games, and well respected in the locker room. Kickers aren’t often considered “tough,” but Crosby has rarely shied away from getting into the mix and making a tackle on kickoffs, and he’s never missed a game in 13 seasons. GM Brian Gutekunst is confident he can be an effective kicker for several more years.
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Case against
Crosby will be 36 years old to start next year, and physical decline can creep up quick on kickers. His value would drop substantially if his leg strength goes into rapid decline. While reliable over the long term, he’s been prone to down years, and often the misses come in bunches. Between 2017 and 2018, Crosby missed nine field goals and four extra points and had a field goal percentage of 80.4. Changes at punter and long snapper really affected his consistency, and turnover is common at both spots. What will be his price tag? Kickers of his experience and quality are worth $4 million or more per season. Barring a big home-town discount, the Packers will likely need to pay $10-15 million over 2-3 years to keep him. Can the Packers find a similar talent at a much cheaper price?
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