EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW ORLEANS -- The Saints have released veteran kicker Daniel Carlson, the team announced Tuesday.Carlson, 31, struggled with consistency during his short time as the Saints' kicker and made only 66.7 percent of his kicks (8-of-12) this season. That was tied for the second-worst percentage in the league, ahead of only Harrison Mevis, who was cut by the Los Angeles Rams earlier in the season. Carlson also missed two PAT attempts in seven games.Releasing Carlson is the second move the Saints have made coming out of the bye week after they started the season 2-5. They also announced the firing of run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti on Monday after the team rushed for only 18 yards on 17 attempts in a 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris before the bye.The kicking issue was one of several areas of scrutiny the Saints faced after the loss to the Steelers, in which Carlson missed a 52-yard field goal. Saints coach Kellen Moore said the position would be evaluated during the bye but did not commit to a major change on Monday."Obviously we just got to continue to evaluate the field goal opportunities," Moore said on Monday. "And so that'd be something that we'll just have to work through and discuss and find the best solution for Sunday."Moore also said on Monday they did not plan to bring in any kickers for tryouts.The release of Carlson paves the way for Irish practice squad kicker Charlie Smyth to kick against the Cleveland Browns this Sunday. Smyth, who came to the Saints via the International Player Pathway in 2024, spent most of his first two seasons on the practice squad. He was elevated as the Saints full-time kicker for the final six games of last season after they released Blake Grupe, and he made 75 percent of his kicks (12-of-16 ).Smyth and former UFL kicker Tanner Brown competed for the starting spot in training camp, but Carlson was signed in late August after neither kicker showed enough consistency to win the job.Carlson had spent several months as a free agent before signing with the Saints. He had previously been with the Las Vegas Raiders for eight seasons and was an All-Pro in 2021 and 2022 but was not re-signed after he made only 81.5% of his kicks.The Saints also claimed running back Audric Estime off waivers from the Browns. Estime was with the Saints for seven games in 2025 and their 2026 training camp but was released with an injury settlement in September.
