Aaron Jones is hyped about one of the Packers' rookies
As of Tuesday morning on June 13, no one outside the Green Bay Packers organization had seen rookie placekicker Anders Carlson attempt a field goal. That changed later that day and sure enough, Carlson didn't disappoint. Mason Crosby's potential replacement drilled five of his six attempts, including both kicks from 50+. His lone miss was […]
As of Tuesday morning on June 13, no one outside the Green Bay Packers organization had seen rookie placekicker Anders Carlson attempt a field goal.
That changed later that day and sure enough, Carlson didn't disappoint.
Mason Crosby's potential replacement drilled five of his six attempts, including both kicks from 50+. His lone miss was a 44-yarder that went wide-right, but he made it up for it by making his last three kicks in a row.
Carlson's day certainly caught the media's eye and sure enough, he already caught his teammate's attention long ago. Namely, star running back, Aaron Jones.
"Man, this guy can kick with some power and he's a big guy, too," Jones told reporters Tuesday. "… I believe he can hit [a] 60 [yard field goal], easy… You can ask [running back] AJ [Dillon]… When he [Carlson] was hitting him, I was over there cheering, like 'Aaahhh!'… I'm excited to see him."
The Packers have shown nothing but confidence in Carlson, so far. Not only did they draft him, they recently cut Parker White, his primary competition. Right now, the Packers roster also sits at 90 players, which means the team can't add anyone else without cutting/waiving a player, first. That obviously bodes well for Carlson, but at the same time, there are two punters and two longsnappers on the roster, so someone can easily be moved off the team without affecting other positions.
Either way, it's big that Carlson is doing well, so far. There's obviously a lot more one can glean from placekickers at this time of year – the only thing that remains unknown, for the most part, is how they handle in-game pressure.
But, with Carlson, he is showing that he can deal with some form of pressure. It's not like he's taking over for a no-name kicker – he's taking over for one of the best kickers in franchise history in Mason Crosby. You know, a guy who held down the position for the last 15 years and is the franchise's all-time leader in points scored.
That's enough for a player to feel pressure in its own right. Fortunately, Carlson is getting past it and performing. Now, it's all about seeing if he can keep performing when it matters most.
Featured image via Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK
