Overview
- The Saints cut veteran kicker Daniel Carlson and concurrently claimed running back Audric Estime off waivers, leaving no placekicker on the 53-man roster.
- Charlie Smyth is on the Saints’ practice squad in the NFL International Pathway spot and is the most ready internal option to be promoted for game duties.
- Carlson’s struggles this season drove the decision: he has made 8 of 12 field goals with all four misses from 50-plus yards and has missed two extra points, going 16-for-18.
- New Orleans has not yet added an outside veteran kicker, which increases the likelihood the team will give Smyth an extended look but still leaves time to sign a free agent before the game.
- The move signals a shift in roster evaluation for the Saints, opens a short-term special-teams question for their upcoming game, and affects Carlson’s role after he had been a first-team All-Pro earlier in his career.