Packers release Anders Carlson, trade for Malik Willis.

CC: Anders Carlson:

I’m not ruling out that Greg Joseph is also released by the time you read this, but here was the word this morning as roster cutdowns are in full effect:

I have no way to prove this but I think ONE kick sealed Anders’ fate: That 32 yarder that he shanked on Saturday. Prior to Saturday I felt like he had moved ahead of Joseph in the kicking battle, he hit that 54-yarder in the 1st quarter on Saturday (barely) and if he just splits the uprights on that 32-yard chip shot, I think he’s the guy. But he ended up kicking that ball to Hobart instead of through the uprights and that probably sealed his fate. He displayed no consistency and missed WAY too many easy kicks and extra points. You just can’t live like that as a team that has playoff and title-run aspirations.

So, the 1-year Anders experiment is over. Now the question becomes, is Greg Joseph really the guy? I’m sure Gutey and company are going to be monitoring the waiver wire radar like it’s a scene from Hunt For Red October. If something looks better than Joseph my guess is they make the move. But for now Greg Joseph looks like he’s the last man standing in a fight that no one enjoyed watching.

He’s 83% on field goals for his career which isn’t a bad number. But the fact that Viking fans are laughing at us over this doesn’t make me feel great. He’s missed some BIG kicks for them over the last three seasons. Let’s hope he gets is worked out this season, but I don’t envision myself feeling completely comfortable anytime we hear, “here comes the Packer field goal unit,” this season.

Gutey also pulled off a trade with the Titans yesterday to bring in a new backup QB to Green Bay: Malik Willis. He was likely to be cut by the Titans, but the Packers obviously like him so they spent a 7th round pick in order to make sure they got him. He was a 2022 3rd round pick, made a few starts in Tennessee with rough results, but his preseason has been decent this year and he’s still only 25 years old. Clifford and Pratt just didn’t show you much in the last two preseason games, Willis is still a project but it feels like his upside is much higher. Higher ceiling, same floor if that makes sense. My guess is they try to get Pratt on to the practice squad and cut Clifford at some point today.

PS: If Joseph is the guy, at the VERY least they need to strip him of Mason’s #2 jersey. I don’t think that number will every be retired, but it shouldn’t just be given out to a journeyman kicker, either.

Double PS: “Lonesome Kicker” was toward the end of Sandler’s comedy album run, but those early-to-mid-90’s comedy tapes were GOLD. We passed them around at Holy Name middle school like high-level contraband.