The Green Bay Packers released Jack Podlesny on Wednesday, reducing the kicking competition to a duel between Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph.
It had been expected that Podlesny, a rookie, would compete with Joseph, the Vikings’ kicker for the past three seasons, with the winner challenging the incumbent, Carlson, during training camp.
During the final session of Packers minicamp, the three kickers were surrounded by teammates who cheered them on as they attempted a 51-yard field goal. Podlesny missed wide right on his attempt, while the others successfully split the uprights. Moving back to 54 yards, all three kickers made their kicks. A week later, the Packers decided to proceed with the two more experienced kickers.
Podlesny reflected on his performance, stating, “I feel like I kicked well. There’s good days and bad days, like in any sport. It’s all part of the game.” Reporters had glimpsed five of the ten offseason practices, where Podlesny appeared to lag behind Carlson and Joseph in accuracy. However, he remained uncertain about how he compared overall.
“It’s such a mental game,” he remarked. “I’ll review the film, but once I leave the facility, I’m focused on other things.” Despite his accomplishments in college, including being named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2022, Podlesny went undrafted and faced uncertainty before being signed by the Packers after a workout in September.
With Podlesny out, the competition now features the expected duo of Carlson, a sixth-round pick in 2023, and Joseph, known for his clutch kicks despite consistency issues similar to Carlson’s.
The move leaves the Packers with 89 players, with the possibility of adding one more before training camp begins in a month, depending on injury needs.
