New Orleans adds Daniel Carlson to the mix after Tanner Brown and Charlie Smyth failed to separate themselves during training camp.
One of the biggest questions surrounding the New Orleans Saints throughout training camp has been the starting kicker job.
To this point, it's been a competition between Tanner Brown and Charlie Smyth. But with neither kicker truly separating from the other, New Orleans is bringing in an external option to fill the void.
The Saints are signing two-time All-Pro kicker Daniel Carlson, as first reported by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. The move gives New Orleans some much-needed clarity at the position as the regular season approaches.
Carlson spent the previous eight seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders organization before becoming a free agent this offseason. And while Brown and Smyth have spent the summer battling for the job, their inability to clearly emerge as the answer left the door open for an outside addition.
Carlson immediately becomes the most experienced player in the room. Originally selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Carlson was released after just two games during his rookie season. He signed with the Raiders shortly after and went on to establish himself as one of the better kickers in football.
Carlson earned Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2021 before being named a First-Team All-Pro in 2022. He also converted better than 90% of his field goal attempts in three consecutive seasons from 2020 through 2022, including a career-best 94.3% mark in 2020.
It's worth noting that his production has dipped in recent seasons. There's a reason Carlson remained available this late in the offseason.
Last season with Las Vegas, Carlson converted 22 of his 27 field goal attempts for an 81.5% success rate. That's well below the standard he established earlier in his career, but the range is still there. Carlson connected on a 60-yard field goal last season and has consistently shown the ability to give his offense points from well beyond 50 yards.
Even with the recent decline, Carlson has still converted 86.9% of his field goal attempts across his NFL career. That's ultimately what makes this addition appealing for New Orleans.
The Saints are getting a kicker with a proven track record, experience performing in high-pressure moments and the leg strength to create scoring opportunities from significant distance. Brown and Smyth offered upside, but Carlson offers a level of stability that neither could match.
Adding him this late in the preseason gives the Saints a veteran they can rely on at a position that remained unsettled throughout camp. For a New Orleans team looking to maximize every opportunity this season, that type of stability could prove significant.
