It took the Green Bay Packers over a year to find a suitable replacement for their all-time leading scorer, Mason Crosby. After choosing not to re-sign Crosby following the 2022 NFL season, the Packers drafted Anders Carlson in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft to take over as kicker.
Unfortunately, Carlson’s performance was underwhelming. He led the NFL in missed kicks, converting only 81.8% of his field goals and 87.2% of his extra points. Neither Carlson nor veteran Greg Joseph, whom the Packers signed for competition, performed well in training camp or the 2024 preseason, leading to both being released in favor of Brayden Narveson, who had been waived by the Tennessee Titans.
However, Narveson also struggled in his six games with Green Bay, making only 70% of his field goals while successfully converting all extra points. Facing yet another disappointment, the Packers signed veteran kicker Brandon McManus, who had been released by the Washington Commanders due to a lawsuit. After resolving the legal issue, McManus joined the Packers and quickly became a reliable option, finishing with the second-best single-season field goal percentage in franchise history (95.2%) over 11 games.
With McManus set to become a free agent again, the Packers turned to secure some stability at the position. They signed Alex Hale, an Australian kicker, to a futures contract. Hale, who spent the 2024 season on the Packers’ practice squad as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway, made 79.6% of his field goals and 95.9% of his extra points during his college career at Oklahoma State. This move ensures Hale will be part of the roster until cuts are made, further solidifying Green Bay’s plans for the kicker position in the future.
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