The Detroit Lions added former Green Bay Packers kicker Greg Joseph to their practice squad on Wednesday.
Joseph, the Vikings’ kicker for the previous three seasons, lasted one day on the Packers’ initial 53-man roster before being replaced by Brayden Narveson, who was obtained off waivers from the Tennessee Titans after final cuts. Joseph battled with the incumbent, Anders Carlson, for the Packers’ kicking job in 2024, but both failed with consistency and lost the position in Green Bay.
Interestingly, the Lions had both Joseph and Carlson in for a workout on Tuesday. Detroit selected Joseph over Carlson for a berth on the practice squad.
Jake Bates, the Lions’ current kicker, converted both of his field goal and extra point tries in Week 1. It’s feasible that Joseph will serve as a mentor to Bates, a rookie who succeeded in the United Football League.
Speaking of rookies, Narveson made three of four field goals and both extra points in the Packers’ opening. He made three field goals under 40 yards and missed from 43 yards out. Narveson was one of just five kickers who missed a field goal in Week 1.
Joseph made 24 of 30 field goals (80%) for the Vikings last season. In 2023, his field goal percentage ranked 28th among 33 qualifying kickers.