The Green Bay Packers have released kicker Jack Podlesny, whom they had signed right after last season. With that, the kicking competition going into training camp will have two options. Incumbent Anders Carlson, a sixth-round pick from last year who struggles as a rookie, and veteran Greg Joseph.

Jack Podlesny, undrafted in 2023, spent his training camp as a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings, but wasn't able to beat Greg Joseph for the starting gig. After sitting out the entire season without a job, the former Georgia kicker signed with the Packers in January to compete with Carlson. Podlesny was in Green Bay during the offseason program, but he was the worst of the three kickers.

Competition

Now, unless they sign a new kicker over the next month, the Packers' competition at kicker will have two names.

Anders Carlson is favored to keep the job, as he was a draft pick in 2023. However, he struggled as a rookie, missing five extra points and six field goals in the regular season. He also missed multiple kicks in the playoffs, including a big 41-yard kick that cost them the game against the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.

Greg Joseph has been in the NFL since 2018, but his main job so far has been as the Vikings kicker from 2021 to 2023. Last season, he converted 24 of 30 field goals — actually, a lower percentage than Carlson. On the other hand, he converted 36 of 38 extra points.

Options

Earlier this month, the Packers hosted UFL kicker Jake Bates for a visit, but he ended up signing a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions. Andre Szmyt, from the St. Louis Battlehawks, is the other UFL kicker generating some interest from NFL teams.

Another alternative would be James Turner, a rookie the Lions had signed as an undrafted, but waived after signing Bates.

Special teams

The Packers decided to create some form of competition in two of the three special teams positions. Beyond the decision with kickers, Green Bay also has two long snappers — veteran Matt Orzech, who signed a three-year deal last offseason and was the starter in 2023, and undrafted rookie Peter Bowden, seen by the consensus as the best long snapper of this year’s class. The only secured roster spot seems to be at punter, where Daniel Whelan holds the job without competition.

After releasing Podlesny, the Packers have two open roster spots — they have 89 players, but Kenneth Odumegwu doesn't count against the roster limit as a part of the International Pathway Program.

Packers expect that competition can bring the best out of their kickers

Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph had similar numbers in 2023