Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer
GREEN BAY, Wis. — On the day he claimed Brayden Narveson off waivers in late August, Green Bay Packers basic supervisor Brian Gutekunst made an admission about his method to kickers and punters.
“I'm probably not as patient with specialists as I should be,” Gutekunst mentioned Aug. 28.
Narveson is aware of he is testing Gutekunst's patience. In truth, the rookie kicker questioned after he missed two subject purpose makes an attempt in final Sunday's 31-29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings if his boss might need run out of patience with him.
“If I'm being honest, most places, you never know if you're going to come back after a game like that and even get a chance to go throughout the week and whatnot,” Narveson mentioned Wednesday. “I'm just extremely grateful for that, and I'm going to take that as a token of gratitude and a blessing, and I'm going to go prepare my ass off all week.
“Lots of people are in all probability writing me off proper now. I'm going to take that with, not to show individuals fallacious, however show the those that believed in me proper.”
No kicker this season has missed more field goal attempts than Narveson's four. He missed wide right from 43 yards against the Eagles in the opener, wide right from 45 in Week 2 against the Colts. Against the Vikings, he hit the right upright from 37 yards, then was wide right from 49 yards. Officially, he is 9-of-13, but that doesn't include another miss in Week 3 at Tennessee that was wiped out by a Titans penalty.
“I felt what all-time low seems like in a recreation,” Narveson said of Sunday's two misses. “I felt that. I'm at the level proper now the place it is nearly like a screw-it mentality. I'm a dawg. I'm that man. I'm going to go on the market and bang the kick. That's how I'm enthusiastic about it this week.”
On Tuesday, Gutekunst brought in Chad Rylan and Lucas Havrisik for workouts but did not sign either one; Rylan was signed to the Cardinals' practice squad Wednesday. Gutekunst also has Alex Hale, who is part of the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, on the practice squad. At this point, though, it does not appear the Packers are ready to go with him.
The Packers are on this place as a result of they moved on from final yr's kicker, rookie Anders Carlson. After a robust begin, Carlson missed kicks in 10 of the final 12 video games, together with a 41-yarder in the fourth quarter of the playoff loss to the 49ers. Gutekunst lower Carlson at the finish of coaching camp this summer season and initially stored veteran Greg Joseph. But when Narveson grew to become accessible on waivers, he launched Joseph, who has made 5-of-6 subject purpose makes an attempt since becoming a member of the Giants in Week 3.
The excellent news for Narveson is that his misses have all gone to the proper. He mentioned that occurs when his plant foot will get extensive and, due to this fact, he's aimed too far proper.
“We all could see the same thing. It was pretty apparent,” Narveson mentioned. “It's something that I don't do at practice. Just being a little more meticulous about my process — my steps, the preparation — and really honing in and fixing that, and we should be good to go.”
Coach Matt LaFleur, no less than publicly, has continued to strongly again Narveson partially due to what he has seen from his kicker in observe.
“I get it, though. You've got to go perform, and we expect him to make those kicks as well,” LaFleur mentioned this week. “We've got to make sure that we get that production and make sure that his routine is right and he's got to be able to self-correct as well. If you miss one, you've got to make sure that you don't make the same mistake twice.”
