Though he’s been a stalwart on special teams for a while now, Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson has certainly seen the pressure rise. Could we be seeing the end of his run with the Silver and Black?
In a move that might’ve gone under the radar, the Raiders recently promoted Jamin Davis to the active roster. The reason for that significance is that it led to kicker Greg Joseph taking his spot on the practice squad. While it doesn’t mean anything is inevitable, things certainly aren’t trending upward for Carlson.
Statistically speaking, Carlson is struggling and has seen better days. In a season where so many kickers around the league appear to have surpassed Carlson with impressive leg strength, he could soon be following his former special teams coach to the unemployment line. Let’s talk turkey. Carlson has only converted 12 field goals out of 16 possible attempts. His 75% make-percentage is only slightly better than his rate back in 2019, when it stood at 73.1% that season.
Numbers aside, it’s also worth noting that Carlson’s ability to deliver in the clutch has also wavered. If you recall, he missed a potential game-tying field goal against the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football. On top of that, Carlson also missed a one-point kick in an overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars a few weeks ago. It’s just plain ugly at the moment for the former All-Pro.
As we have now seen, head coach Pete Carroll will not shy away from an in-season change. Hence, what happened to Tom McMahon recently? Clearly, the organization feels that special teams have not lived up to expectations, Carlson included. It’s pretty easy to see this, but the question now becomes whether Carlson’s place is without its own share of jeopardy.
Let’s say Carlson continues to struggle, would Carroll then make another change to a highly disappointing unit?
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*Top Photo: Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press