The New Orleans Saints are signing kicker Daniel Carlson, per Mike Garafolo.
Carlson, 31, has spent eight seasons in the NFL, earning two All-Pro honors. After being drafted in the fifth-round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2018
Carlson was released by the Vikings after two games before signing with the then Oakland Raiders and staying with the franchise until 2025.
Throughout his career, Carlson has accumulated an 86.9 field goal conversion rate along with making 95.7 percent of his PAT attempts.
The signing comes after each of the Saints’ young kickers, Charlie Smyth and Tanner Brown, has been able to find consistency in training camp and preseason. Smyth has attempted just one field goal through two preseason games, missing from 52 yards. Brown went 2/2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, with a long of 49 yards, but missed on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams from 39 yards out.
New Orleans addition of Carlson adds another leg to the battle, but also a veteran presence. The Saints have opted to go younger in all their recent kicker battles, opting for Blake Grupe over Wil Lutz, then going with Smyth over Grupe last season. With the signing of Carlson, New Orleans may be going with an established kicker rather than betting on young talent.
Carlson was released from Las Vegas after the 2025 NFL season after his third season of making less than 87% of his attempts, with a poor 81.5% conversion rate in 2025. Despite his recent struggles, the veteran kicker could turn over a new leaf with a change of scenery.
