After a rough start to his career with the Minnesota Vikings, when he was cut just two games into his rookie season, Daniel Carlson has found a home with the Las Vegas Raiders. His first full season with the team was not great, but over the last five seasons, he has made a little over 90% of his field goals.
Amid the dysfunction of recent years, Carlson has been a pillar of stability. In 2021, led the league in field goals made (40) and attempted (43) on his way to earning a Second Team All-Pro nod. The following year, despite a small erosion in his overall proficiency, he was named First Team All-Pro.
Pro Bowl voting is a bit of a popularity contest, with at-best flimsy roots in what a player actually did on the field during that season. So despite the aforementioned two seasons of All-Pro accolades, Carlson has yet to be a Pro Bowler.
Overdue Pro Bowl accolade would have big impact for Daniel Carlson
The Raiders' offense should be greatly improved this year, which would set Carlson up for a big season. With that in mind, Kevin Patra of NFL.com has highlighted Carlson as the top potential first-time Pro Bowler for the Silver and Black.
"After going to Justin Tucker for years, the AFC's Pro Bowl kicking spot is no longer an afterthought for absent-minded voters. So Carlson can obtain the honor he deserved a few years ago," Patra wrote. "The Raiders kicker is coming off a down season by his standards, connecting on 85% of his boots and missing two PATs in 2024. However, he was perfect inside 40 yards, and the bulk of his botches were 50-plus yarders. Vegas' revamped offense, now led by Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty, should be more potent, putting Carlson in a position to put more points on the board."
In December of 2021, the Raiders made Carlson one of the highest-paid kickers in the NFL with a four-year, $18.4 million contract extension. That is obviously no longer the case, as he enters the final year of his contract outside the top 10 highest-paid kickers in the league.
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If Carlson goes out and has a Pro Bowl season this year, his case to be one of the highest-paid kickers in the NFL will only be fortified. Under his current contract, he also, according to Spotrac, would earn a $100,000 bonus if he earns a Pro Bowl nod.
It's easy to say a team in the Raiders' position should hesitate to pony up to pay a kicker when that money can theoretically be put to better use. But with Pete Carroll as head coach, there's a hint of "win now" mode in place, and Carlson has a place in that type of plan.
There's something to be said for getting notable contracts done before the market changes, as the Raiders have learned on both ends of the spectrum this offseason. So if they want to extend Carlson, there's a strong case for getting it done ASAP.
Regardless of how things turn out in terms of his long-term future with the Raiders, finally earning a Pro Bowl nod this season would be very well-timed for Carlson.