Record-setting kicker Daniel Carlson looking to bounce back
When the Raiders signed Daniel Carlson midway through the 2018 season, he instantly displayed the accuracy that helped make him the Southeastern Conference’s all-time leading scorer. Carlson hit 16 of 17 field goal attempts and connected on all 18 extra points.
The Raiders had to be confident the rookie would be their kicker for the foreseeable future.
His second season left some doubts. Carlson went 19 of 26 on field goals in 2019, including just 6-for-12 on attempts of more than 40 yards. The former Auburn star also missed two of his 36 extra points.
It was concerning enough that the Raiders decided to bring in some competition. Undrafted rookie free agent Dominik Eberle was signed shortly after the draft and was expected to challenge Carlson in training camp.
The pandemic may have provided Carlson a reprieve. Training camp rosters were limited to 80 this year, down from 90 in most seasons. With fewer roster spots available and no preseason games for a real audition, Eberle was let go before training camp got underway.
Still, the message was sent and the move doesn’t preclude the Raiders from bringing in another kicker at some point.
Carlson, who also handles kickoff duties, knows he must rediscover the consistency he displayed for the Raiders in 2018 if he wants to keep his job. He’s already been released once in his NFL career.
After his record-breaking tenure at Auburn where he scored 474 points, Carlson was a fifth-round pick of the Vikings in 2018. He didn’t last long in Minnesota.
In just his second professional game and after making all four kicks in the opener, Carlson missed a field goal in regulation and two more in overtime. He was released the next day.
Regardless, he still has his place in the SEC record books.
“It’s something I’ll be bragging about until the day I die, so I’m really excited about that,” he said at the time.
His touchback percentage on kickoffs was 53.5, a number that placed the Raiders 22nd in the league as a team.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.