The Green Bay Packers’ kicking contest is down to two. On Wednesday, the team announced the release of kicker Jack Podlesny, limiting the competition to incumbent Anders Carlson versus veteran Greg Joseph, who will hold training camp in about a month.
Podlesny, an undrafted free agent from Georgia, signed a futures contract with the Packers in January. He previously played for the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers gave all three kickers a chance during the offseason training program that ended last week.
Although the Packers considered bringing three players to training camp, limiting the competition to just two probably made more sense from a roster-building and practical standpoint. Providing kicking opportunities for more than two kickers would be challenging for special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
According to Matt LaFleur, Carlson finished the offseason training program on a good note, and Joseph gained experience after spending the last three years as the Vikings’ kicker.
General manager Brian Gutekunst now has two open roster spots. It’s possible the Packers will still have an opportunity to compete at kicker this summer.
The Packers return to training camp on July 17, with the first practice scheduled for July 22.
