This season, the Green Bay Packers have gone with youth, including at the kicker position. Mason Crosby, a long-time fixture at the position, has been replaced by rookie Anders Carlson. It’s been a mixed bag, and many wondered if the team was looking to move on after last week’s rocky performance. Rich Bisaccia, special teams coordinator, reiterated his belief in the rookie.
Rich Bisaccia of the Green Bay Packers backs Anders Carlson.
Bisaccia was asked if the team was considering moving on. Bisaccia put a stop to any such talk. “He’s our goalie. We talked about it a lot at first. “We have a lot of faith in him to continue improving,” Bisaccia told reporters. Carlson’s situation hasn’t been completely disastrous. He has a field goal percentage of 15/19 and a long of 52. Extra points are a concern because he has missed three of them this season, but that appears to be correctable. Bisaccia wants him to get as many reps as possible this season, and the Packers are hoping he will be their kicker for the foreseeable future.
Patience is rewarded.
Crosby had a terrible season in 2021. He made 25 of 34 field goals and two extra points. He faced similar difficulties in 2012 and 2017. Nonetheless, the Packers stuck with him, and he proved that each of those years was an outlier rather than the norm. The Packers’ young players are being given time. Carlson has the freedom to iron out some kinks. Too many teams scramble in the middle of the season to try to fix their kicking problems. If the Packers can be patient now, it could pay off big time later.
Carlson has the final third of the season to prove himself. It would be huge if he could finish the year with an 80% field goal percentage.
