Head coach Kellen Moore stated that the New Orleans Saints will evaluate kickers Daniel Carlson and Charlie Smyth prior to Sunday’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Kicking Competition for Sunday
Carlson has served as the primary kicker for the Saints throughout the current campaign, though the 31-year-old has experienced inconsistencies. Smyth, an ex-Gaelic footballer hailing from Mayobridge in County Down, debuted in the NFL last season before moving back to the practice roster when the team signed Carlson to begin the year.
Recent struggles in Carlson’s performance have created an opportunity for Smyth to contend for a spot on the active roster. Moore explained that his coaching staff will assess the field goal situation and potential opportunities moving forward.
According to Moore, the franchise has not added any other kickers to the roster, leaving Carlson and Smyth as the two options to play against the Cleveland Browns.
“That’s something we’ll have to work through and discuss to find the best solution for Sunday,” said Moore, as reported by BBC Sport.
“We’ll see how it goes. We’ll have some kicking sessions throughout this week and we’ll see where we are at,” Moore added.
Performance Statistics This Season
During his stint as a starter last season following his historic debut in November, Smyth converted 12 of 16 field goal attempts and made all 13 of his extra point tries. Following a mixed pre-season performance, Carlson won the kicking competition to secure the starting role for the season.
This season, Carlson has converted 66% of his kicks from 12 field goal attempts. His only flawless performance occurred in September when he successfully made three kicks against the Baltimore Ravens.
Additionally, Carlson has successfully kicked 16 out of 18 extra point attempts while the Saints hold a record of two wins from seven matches this season.
