Brayden Narveson Remains Packers’ Kicker After Veteran Workouts

The Green Bay Packers hosted two kickers for tryouts on Tuesday, including 2023 fourth-round pick Chad Ryland.

Green Bay Packers place kicker Brayden Narveson attempts a field goal against the Vikings on Sunday. / Tork Mason/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers worked out a pair of veteran kickers on Tuesday, Chad Ryland and Lucas Havrisik, but no signings were made, according to a source.

Publicly, the Packers have thrown their support behind Narveson, the rookie with the strong leg but a penchant for kicking the ball to the right. That Narveson remains the kicker shows those weren't just empty words.

Through four weeks, Narveson is 9-of-13 on field goals. Of the 29 kickers to attempt at least six field goals, his 69.2 percent ranks 28th. Oddly, the player who is at the bottom of the list might be the best kicker in NFL history. The Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Tucker is 5-of-8 for 62.5 percent.

It’s possible the Packers brought in Ryland and Havrisik while putting together a ready list should general manager Brian Gutekunst give up on the player he claimed off waivers from Tennessee at the end of training camp.

Ryland was a fourth-round draft pick by the Patriots last year. Of the 31 kickers to attempt 20 field goals, he was a league-worst 64.0 percent, though he did make a 56-yarder to beat Denver. He missed only one extra point.

During training camp this summer, he lost a kicking battle to Joey Slye. He made all five kicks during the preseason (four extra points, one field goal).

Havrisik, an undrafted free agent in 2022, kicked in nine games for the Rams last year before he was released late in the season. Of the 31 kickers with 20 field-goal attempts, he was No. 29 on field goals (75.0 percent) and No. 30 on extra points (86.4 percent).

He spent a few days with the Browns during training camp this summer and played in the preseason finale, when he made all four kicks (three extra points, one field goal).

The veteran crop of available kickers is not strong. Riley Patterson, who has been unable to stick with a team despite making 88.1 percent of his field-goal attempts in 39 games, probably is the best available.

Narveson has missed four field-goal attempts; no other kicker has missed more than two. Including a miss at Tennessee that was nullified by a penalty, he has missed five field goals. All of them have been to the right.

Despite his struggles, coach Matt LaFleur has made clear that Narveson’s upside is too great to give up on after just four games.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in Brayden. I do,” LaFleur said after Narveson missed two field goals in a two-point loss to the Vikings on Sunday. “I know it’s tough. We all want the results. He’s a young guy, and a lot of times with young kickers, you go through this.

“Certainly, I know he’s disappointed, but I’ve still got a lot of belief in him. I’ve seen it in practice. I told you guys from Day 1, the day he got here, and have seen his abilities. It’s just part of it and, unfortunately, it wasn’t his day, but I’ve got a lot of confidence and won’t blink if we have to put him out there in another situation.”

LaFleur had the same message on Monday.

“I get it, though,” he said. “You’ve got to go perform, and we expect him to make those kicks, as well. We’ve got to make sure that we get that production and make sure that his routine is right and he’s got to be able to self-correct, as well. If you miss one, you’ve got to make sure that you don’t make the same mistake twice.”

The Packers chose Narveson over Greg Joseph, who made the initial 53-man roster. Joseph has made 5-of-6 attempts (83.3 percent) in two games with the Giants.

Last year’s kicker, Anders Carlson, remains available. By the numbers, he was better last year than Ryland and Havrisik by ranking 23rd on field goals (81.8 percent).

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