Former Vikings Kicker Has Been Awful for Packers in Ugly Training Camp Battle

The Minnesota Vikings are no stranger to kicking woes, especially when it involves Greg Joseph. As the Vikings enter the season with a ton of confidence in rookie kicker Will Reichard, Joseph is now causing problems for Minnesota’s biggest rival.

Joseph, age 30, has already bounced around the league several times. He opened his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, making 85 percent of his field-goal attempts as a rookie.

He then spent the 2019 season with the Tennessee Titans, attempting 11 kickoffs and nine extra points without a single field-goal attempt. In 2021, Minnesota signed him to solve its kicking issues.

Related: Fantasy kicker rankings 2024, see where Minnesota Vikings’ Will Reichard lands

• Greg Joseph stats ( Pro Football Reference ): 50-of-63 on field-goal attempts (79.4 percent), 76-of-84 on extra-point attempts (90.5 percent) in 2 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings

While Joseph made 86.8 percent of his field-goal attempts as the Vikings kicker in 2021, he missed multiple game-winning field goals early in the season. Eventually, he turned things around, delivering game-winners over the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers.

Joseph would never recapture that form. He made just 78.8 percent of his field-goal attempts in 2022, including a 40 percent hit rate on 10 attempts from 50-plus yards. After he made just 80 percent of his field-goal attempts last season, with three misses from 40-49 yards, Minnesota moved on.

Also Read: 2025 NFL Draft order, Minnesota Vikings draft picks 2025

The Packers signed him in March, hoping he could beat out Anders Carlson in a kicking competition and eventually deliver some clutch kicks against Minnesota. Weeks into Packers training camp, Green Bay is quickly realizing it has a major problem.

Former Minnesota Vikings kicker Greg Joseph struggling at Green Bay Packers training camp

When Packers training camp began in July, the team hoped either Carlson or Joseph would run away with the competition. While Joseph was coming off an inconsistent 2023 season, Carlson is fighting for a roster spot after a rocky rookie season. He made just 81.8 percent of his field-goal attempts, going 1-for-2 in January and finishing with just an 80.8 percent conversion rate on kicks outdoors.

On Tuesday, just days out from the Packers’ final preseason game, there was still no clear winner. Joseph went 2-for-5 on field-goal attempts, while Carlson made 4-of-5. Alex Hale, who Green Bay signed as added competition, went 3-for-5. Following Tuesday’s practice, the race to become the Packers kicker in 2024 remains ugly.

Related: Brian Flores receives huge support from Vikings players following Tua Tagovailoa’s comments

While kickers are making adjustments more frequently in training camp practices than in the regular season, they also have the benefit of practices being less intense and without 60,000-plus fans watching them closely. Despite the more comfortable setting, the Packers kicking competition remains a mess.

Joseph and Carlson likely have an equal shot at winning the competition, but it’s evident the Packers coaching staff won’t have much confidence in either kicker. So, while Joseph is no longer on the Vikings roster, he might still be helping Minnesota beat its rival in 2024.

More must-reads:

• Vikings Have Decision to Make on Jaren Hall
• Surprise Player Expected to Benefit from TJ Hockenson’s Absence
• Former NFL GM Urges Vikings to Trade for… Mr. Unlimited?