Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson rides ‘roller coaster’ rookie year
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Highs and lows are natural during any NFL career.
Few rookies experience such extreme levels of both as Daniel Carlson in 2018.
On Sunday, the Raiders kicker can cap an eventful year when facing the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
His season began with the Minnesota Vikings as the highest-selected kicker in the April draft.
The fifth-round pick was cut after two games.
Now, he is on pace to set the Raiders’ franchise record for highest field-goal accuracy in a season.
In nine games with the Raiders, Carlson has made 15 of 16 field goals.
At 93.8 percent, he is above the 91.2 rate Sebastian Janikowski produced in 2012 (31 of 34).
“It’s kind of like a roller coaster,” Carlson said of his rookie year. “That’s something I’ve learned in my short 23 years of life is there’s lots of ups and downs. For me, being a kicker, I’ve learned you need to be steady. Don’t let the highs get too high and the lows get too low. I’ve tried to handle the adversity, respond correctly and just work hard, take it day by day. When I’m doing well, I do the exact same thing.
“I think God’s got a path for my life that I’m just trying to stay on. I’m enjoying every second of it. Getting to play in the NFL is a dream come true.”
Carlson appears to be the long-term solution. The Raiders began the offseason with Giorgio Tavecchio at kicker. In late April, they signed undrafted rookie Eddy Pineiro to compete. On Aug. 3, they committed to a right-footed kicker when cutting the lefty Tavecchio in favor of veteran Mike Nugent. Pineiro, the favorite, suffered a season-ending groin injury about 10 days later.
So, Nugent started the season. A hip injury forced him onto injured reserve after three games.
Oakland signed undrafted rookie Matt McCrane. He went 5-for-9 on field goals and was cut after three games.
Carlson, signed Oct. 23, has been a stabilizing presence.
“He’s my favorite player,” coach Jon Gruden said Wednesday. “I tell you what, for a while there, you don’t know your kicker’s name. I know this guy’s name — he’s really making a name for himself. Long-range field goals, different climates, wet ball, high snap, low snap, on the road, cold weather, he has done it all for us. … We are happy we have him. He’s clearly been one of the strengths of this team.”
Notable
— Wide receiver Dwayne Harris was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He returned a punt for a 99-yard touchdown during the first quarter of Monday’s win over the Denver Broncos. He received the same award in Week 4. Carlson did, too, in Week 11.
— Gruden declined to detail his decision last week to dismiss Tom Shaw as the Raiders’ strength and conditioning coordinator. “That’s a personal matter,” Gruden said. “I’ll just leave it at that. Tom is a good friend and really good at what he does. It’s a personal matter, and unfortunately, we are going to have to go in a different direction.”
— All 53 players on the Raiders’ roster practiced Wednesday, according to the team’s injury report. Tight end Jared Cook (ribs), defensive tackle Mo Hurst Jr. (ankle), cornerback Gareon Conley (concussion), center Rodney Hudson (ankle/knee) and running back Jalen Richard (ankle) did so as limited participants.
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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
