In a move that’s screaming “enough is enough,” the Las Vegas Raiders have inked kicker Greg Joseph to their practice squad on Tuesday, firing a clear warning shot across the bow of struggling veteran Daniel Carlson. If the three-time Pro Bowler doesn’t snap out of his funk pronto, Joseph could be warming up the silver and black’s kicking tee sooner than anyone in Raider Nation wants to admit.
Carlson’s nightmare season took another gut-wrenching turn last Thursday night in the Mile High City, where his 48-yard field goal sailed wide right as time expired, dooming the Raiders to a heartbreaking 10-7 defeat against the Denver Broncos. That miss? It would have forced overtime and kept Vegas’s faint playoff pulse beating a little longer. But nope—another dagger in a campaign full of them.
Just four days prior, Carlson’s boot betrayed him again, shanking an extra point in a brutal one-point overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. And let’s not forget the ghosts of earlier heartbreaks: a potential game-winner blocked by the Chicago Bears on Sept. 28, a play that wasn’t on him but still stings like a bad hangover.
The pressure’s mounting, and Raiders head coach Pete Carroll didn’t mince words about the mental toll it’s taking on his embattled kicker. “He wants to do right by his team,” Carroll said Tuesday, his voice carrying the weight of a coach who’s seen it all. “He wants to get clear (mentally), and he’s well-versed on the mentality of … the preparation and the practice to get your mind clear so that you can perform like you’re capable. When they stack up on you after some time, you have to deal with it directly, so we’re addressing that right now.”
Once the golden foot of the AFC West, Carlson is now a shadow of his former self. The 32-year-old, locked into the final year of his contract, earned second-team Associated Press All-Pro honors in 2021 and climbed to first-team status the following season. Last year, he was money from deep, converting 7 of 11 attempts from 50 yards and beyond. This season? A measly 3 of 6, turning potential wins into what-ifs and fueling the hottest seat in the Raiders’ kicking game.
Enter Greg Joseph, the journeyman kicker who’s bounced around the league like a pinball but always seems to land on his feet. The 28-year-old spent this summer grinding in the San Francisco 49ers’ training camp, where he ultimately fell short in a nail-biter competition to Jake Moody for the starting gig. Undeterred, Joseph’s carved out a niche as a reliable insurance policy, suiting up for six teams across six NFL seasons—including stints with three franchises just last year.
His 2024 highlight reel? Spotless. Joseph nailed all five of his field goal tries, capped by a booming 52-yarder for the New York Giants that had MetLife Stadium roaring. If Carlson’s ice-cold streak continues, Joseph could be the hot hand Vegas needs to steady the ship and salvage a season that’s already teetering on the edge.
For now, the Raiders are giving Carlson one last shot to rediscover his groove. But with Joseph’s name on the practice squad roster, the message from Allegiant Stadium is loud and clear: perform, or pack your bags. In the unforgiving world of NFL special teams, mercy has a short shelf life.