The New Orleans Saints have signed two-time All-Pro kicker Daniel Carlson to compete with Charlie Smyth for the side’s starting kicker position.
Smyth, a former Gaelic footballer from Mayobridge in Northern Ireland, was the incumbent coming into pre-season having assumed the role from Blake Grupe in November.
The 25-year-old made 12 of 16 field goals and was successful on each of his 13 extra-point attempts as a starter last season.
In June, the Saints signed Tanner Brown, previously of the Louisville Kings in the United Football League, to compete with Smyth but the 26-year-old missed a 39-yard field goal attempt in the side’s pre-season defeat by the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.
Smyth himself missed from 52 yards in the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars a week prior and Kellen Moore’s side have now moved for Carlson.
The 31-year-old was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2018 but waived during his rookie season and picked up by the then Oakland Raiders.
Carlson had his best years in 2021 and 2022, when he was named second-team All-Pro and first-team All-Pro respectively.
He has not missed a game in the past seven seasons but his 81.5% success rate from field goals last year was his lowest since 2019.
Signed to a three-year contract last season, Smyth told BBC NI this month that competition for places in the NFL is “just the way it is in this business” and that he would not be taking any such signings “personally”.
The Saints’ final pre-season game is against the Dallas Cowboys this weekend before their 2026 regular season begins at the Detroit Lions on 13 September.