Packers release kicker following inconsistent rookie season

The Green Bay Packers did something somewhat unusual during the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting a kicker in Anders Carlson in the sixth round.
One year later, the team is releasing the Auburn product after his inconsistent rookie season.

The Packers exceeded expectations in their first season with quarterback Jordan Love as the starter, making it to the NFC divisional round before falling to the San Francisco 49ers. Carlson played a part in the defeat, missing a critical 41-yard field-goal attempt midway through the fourth quarter of the 24-21 loss.

Two days after the defeat, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur explained during the team's season-ending news conference that he was upset with Fox Sports reporter Tom Rinaldi, who had an in-game report that LaFleur prays before Carlson kicks.

Carlson went just 34-of-39 on extra points (87.2 percent) across the 17 games while going 27-of-33 on field goals. He went 20-of-20 on field-goal tries from under 40 yards but went 4-of-8 on kicks from between 40-49 yards away and 3-of-5 on attempts from 50 yards or more.

With Carlson out of the picture, the starting job appears to be Greg Joseph's to lose. The 30-year-old went undrafted in 2018 before playing 14 games with the Cleveland Browns that year. Joseph kicked for the Tennessee Titans during the 2019 campaign but appeared in only two games before playing all 51 contests with a rival of the Packers (the Minnesota Vikings) from 2021-2023.

He went 83-of-101 with Minnesota and had the advantage of kicking indoors during home games at U.S. Bank Stadium. That will not be the case in Green Bay at Lambeau Field if he earns the starting gig.