Joe DeCamillis has the tall task of restoring order to the Las Vegas Raiders special teams unit. It’s a group that was dependable, if not consistent in prior years, however, in 2025, it was more liability than asset.
The lack of execution resulted in blocked field goals and punts and allowing touchdowns on punt and kick off return and the eventual dismissal of former special teams boss Tom McMahon. A majority of the Raiders 2025 coaching staff is out the door alongside McMahon paving the way for Las
Vegas to land hotshot Klint Kubiak as its new head coach.
And in comes DeCamillis alongside the new lead man to right the Raiders’ ship. The 34-year coaching veteran — a majority of it focused on special teams — provides the rookie head coach an experienced assistant that was in charge of the Los Angeles Rams 2021 unit that was a strength not liability. Coincidentally, that’s the last time up until this most recent 2025 season, head coach Sean McVay took special teams seriously.
DeCamillis has a serious challenge ahead of him in Las Vegas. The group isn’t without its standouts — like punter AJ Cole III and core special teamer and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg — but the unit needs tinkering. And the big decision is at the kicker spot. For the last eight seasons, that was a gig securely held by Daniel Carlson. But the 31-year-old is an unrestricted free agent and saw a downward slide the last few seasons in terms of conversion rate.
Which beckons: Do the Raiders kick the tires on Carlson again?
Since joining the Raiders after getting drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and cut after two games going 1-for-4 on field goals, Carlson is one of three last-stand Oakland Raiders on the roster — the other two are Cole, left tackle Kolton Miller. The other was edge Maxx Crosby who was traded to the Baltimore Ravens on Friday.
Carlson turned it around quickly joining the Silver & Black an experienced the highest peaks with game-winning kicks in regulation and overtime and the lowest valleys with missed or blocked boots. The Auburn product’s 2020-2022 seasons saw him hit field goal percentages in the 90s with the highest a 94.3 conversion rate in 2020 and then AP All-Pro second- and first-team selections in 2021 and 2022. But its been a downward trend since then as his conversion rates went: 86.7, 85, and 81.5 percent the next three seasons. This past year, Carlson went 22-for-27.
That noted, Carlson is part of a free agent kickers market that features older veterans. The prize of the group is the Dallas Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey, who has a big-time leg at 31 years old. But the undrafted free agent is a restricted free agent and the Cowboys placed a second-round tender on their kicker, which portends to his return to Big D. Any team that inks Aubrey to an offer sheet must send a second-round pick to Dallas if the Cowboys don’t match.
That leaves Carlson, Jason Sanders (30 yeas old, 37-for-41, 90.2 field goal percentage, for the Miami Dolphins in 2024), Nick Folk (41, 28-for-29, 96.6, for New York Jets in 2025), and Riley Patterson (27-for-29, 93.1, for Dolphins in 2025), as free agent options. Patterson is the youngest of that group and has played for six different teams in the eight seasons he’s been in the NFL.
DeCamillis needs a kicker and it’ll be interesting to see which route he and the Raiders take to fill that void with Carlson slated to hit the open market with the legal tampering period opening this coming Monday.
But free agency in March isn’t the only place to fill the place kicker spot. There’s April’s draft and after it, too.
There are a trio of standout prospects in the 2026 draft that have the potential to become long-term solutions at the position if Las Vegas decides to move on from Carlson.
Trey Smack, Florida: On name alone, this Gator has an NFL-made surname. Spending all four seasons in Florida (2022-25), Smack is widely considered the top kicker in the 2026 class going 18-for-22 (81.8 field goal percentage) this past season for the Gators. In the three seasons where he served as the kicker, Smack went 53-for-64 (82.8 field goal percentage) scoring a total of 259 points (career-high mark 98 in 2024). Smack brings a big-leg reputation with him as he ventures towards the pro game.
Kansei Matsuzawa, Hawaii: A two-year presence for the Rainbow Warriors (2024-25), this consensus All-American is considered the 1B to Smack’s 1A. Matsuzawa went 27-for-29 (93.1 field goal percentage) in 2025 and scored 121 points leading the nation in attempts, makes, and point total. While he may trail Smack and others in pure leg power, Matsuzawa is accurate and is relatively new to the kicking game, meaning he’s highly moldable for DeCamillis.
Dominic Zvada, Michigan: Another powerful kicker, this Wolverine will need to rebound after a down senior year. The Arkansas State transfer was stellar in 2024 going 21-for-22 and sporting a nation-leading 95.5 field goal percentage. But this past season, Zvada went 17-for-25 (68 percent). He’s a long-range bomber though and a coach like DeCamillis working to shore up accuracy can give the Raiders a big-legged clutch performer potentially.
Carlson isn’t the lone core special teamer heading to free agency without a new deal. Long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer, a favorite of former special teams boss McMahon, is also an unrestricted free agent. The Raiders did sign Alex Ward to a future/reserve contract so there’s a long snapper presently on the roster. But filling the kicker and long snapper spots are must-dos and are amongst a myriad of other needs Las Vegas has.
