Green Bay Packers ‘really excited’ about kicker Anders Carlson’s future
Anders Carlson missed a field-goal attempt that might have made a difference for the Green Bay Packers in the NFC playoffs. But Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst said the NFL team remains “really excited” about the former Auburn kicker’s future with the Packers.
After joining Green Bay as a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, Carlson made 29-of-36 field-goal attempts and 41-of-47 extra-point kicks this season, including the playoffs. Carlson missed more extra points than any other NFL kicker.
On Thursday, Gutekunst said he evaluated kicking options down the stretch and determined Carlson remained the “best option” for the Packers.
“We obviously work kickers out all the time,” Gutekunst said, “but as we went through the course of the season, we were kind of committed to going through the ups and downs that a lot of young rookie kickers go through. Certainly, what he went through was not anything different than what a lot of guys do.
“I think as we got towards the end of the season and we were headed towards the playoffs and had an opportunity to be in the playoffs, certainly something that if there was a veteran option out there that would have been really good, then maybe we would have considered it. But there wasn’t. He was the best option, by far.
“We’re really excited by where he’s going.”
In the NFC divisional round on Jan. 20, Carlson missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt with 6:18 to play against the San Francisco 49ers, leaving the Packers’ lead at 21-17.
The 49ers responded with a 12-play, 69-yard drive capped by running back Christian McCaffrey’s 6-yard touchdown run with 67 seconds to play. San Francisco took a 24-21 lead instead of tying the game.
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