New Orleans Saints Sign Veteran Kicker Daniel Carlson to Solve Special Teams Struggles

The New Orleans Saints are making a decisive move to stabilize their special teams unit. After a summer of uncertainty and a kicking competition that failed to produce a clear winner, the organization is turning to a proven veteran. According to reports from NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo, the Saints are set to sign Daniel Carlson to their roster this Monday.

The End of the Kicking Competition

Throughout the preseason, the Saints have been evaluating two primary options: Tanner Brown and Charlie Smyth. However, consistency has been the missing ingredient. Both players struggled at critical moments, leaving the coaching staff searching for more reliability under pressure.

The decision comes after a series of disappointing performances:

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• Tanner Brown: Despite going 2-of-2 on field goals in a recent outing, he missed a crucial kick during Saturday’s shutout loss to the Rams.
• Charlie Smyth: While he successfully converted his extra point attempts, a missed field goal in the preseason opener raised concerns about his consistency.

Who is Daniel Carlson?

By bringing in Daniel Carlson, the Saints are acquiring one of the most reliable legs in recent NFL history. Carlson spent the last eight seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he established himself as a top-tier kicker in the AFC West.

His track record speaks for itself:

• Field Goal Accuracy: An impressive 224-of-255 successful attempts.
• Extra Point Precision: A stellar 238-of-249 conversion rate.

What This Means for New Orleans

Adding a veteran of Carlson’s caliber provides the Saints with an immediate upgrade in reliability and experience. In a league where a single missed field goal can determine the outcome of a game, having a “sure thing” like Carlson is a luxury that the team desperately needs heading into the regular season.

While the team has yet to announce a corresponding move to make room on the roster, the priority is clear: stability in the kicking game is paramount.