GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers entered the start of organized team activities with three kickers on the roster: Anders Carlson, Greg Joseph and Jack Podlesny.
Asked if he thought the team would take three kickers into training camp, special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia replied: “It might be those three. It might be three other ones. I don’t know. It might be six.”
The Packers are on kicker No. 5. While Carlson and Joseph remain, Podlesny was replaced by James Turner who was replaced by Alex Hale.
Why did the team sign Hale this week?
“We had a workout with a few different guys and he performed really well,” coach Matt LaFleur said before Thursday’s practice. “And like we always talk about bringing in competition, so we thought we’d add to the competition.”
The signing of Hale came on the heels of Carlson and Joseph each going 1-of-4 on field goals into a strong wind on Tuesday, though Hale’s workout actually came that morning.
Was it a sign that the team isn’t pleased that neither Carlson, the incumbent, nor Joseph, who kicked for the Vikings the past three seasons, has taken control of the job?
“Not necessarily,” LaFleur said. “I think it’s just you’re always trying to add value to your team and bring in competition. It just so happens to be at that position. We signed a couple edge rushers too, you know.”
That’s true, though the signings of defensive ends Brevin Allen and Zach Morton came during the prolonged absences of Keshawn Banks and Deslin Alexandre.
“True,” LaFleur responded, “but any time you work somebody out and you think they’re worthy, you’re going to find a way to get them on the roster is my point.”
Hale made 5-of-6 field goals during his debut practice on Wednesday; a high snap might have played a role in the one miss.
“He’s got a big leg, that’s obvious,” LaFleur said.
Hale, who was born and raised in Australia, learned the art of kicking an American football from John Carney, the No. 5 scorer in NFL history.
“He’s just got a really great mindset for a specialist and for a kicker because he’s very low key,” Carney told Packers On SI. “He’s one of those guys who just doesn’t get rattled. He doesn’t get distracted. He’s not a Nervous Nelly. He’s just kind of a Cool Joe type of guy and just goes about and does his business. He kicked last week in front of nine NFL scouts. He went out there and knocked a bunch of balls down just like it was every day of practice. Just nothing seems to faze him.”
With Hale watching on Thursday, Carlson and Joseph both went 6-for-6.
Carlson was a sixth-round pick last year who couldn’t get out of a miss-per-game rut that culminated in a critical miss in the playoff loss at San Francisco.
“If you have a bad day, you’re going to be upset. We’re all human, whether you’re a kicker or whatever you are,” Carlson said. “But for me, my mental state starts with my faith. I can go home and know who I am. I don’t think I’ve wavered too much good or bad. I’m not a robot, but when I wake up that next day, it really gets me back centered, whether it’s an off-day to watch film or to have a great day (at practice). It really centers me back to what I need to do.”
The Packers stuck with Carlson through thick and thin last year, but signed Joseph in free agency and have continued to swap out one young kicker for another.
“The group gets along really well,” Joseph said before the team signed Hale. “We all talk. We all have fun. We all help each other. When I was getting to know Byron (Storer, the assistant special teams coach), he asked what are my goals, and my goal is to learn something from everyone and to help someone learn something.
“I’m here to teach. I’m here to definitely be a resource and use them as a resource, as well, and just get better each and every day. Whether that’s individually or with the group, it’s all for the better and I just want to help the team win.”
There’s reason for the Packers to be apprehensive about their veterans. Even if you discard the 1-of-4 into a “tornado,” as LaFleur put it, Carlson has made 85.7 percent of his kicks this summer. That would have ranked 17th out of 31 qualifying kickers last year. Carlson was a 23rd-ranked 81.8 percent as a rookie, which is pretty bad but still was better than Joseph’s 27th-ranked 80.0 percent. Outdoors, Joseph was 25th at 75.0 percent.
Is Hale ready for the NFL? Wednesday’s practice marked his first professional kicks.
Perhaps the Packers are going to keep the better of their two veterans and are giving a series of extended tryouts to young kickers before settling on one for the practice squad.
“I’m sure my journey’s got a lot more left than whatever happens over the next few weeks,” Hale said. “So, just take it as it comes and try to do my best.”
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