The Las Vegas Raiders made the difficult choice to move on from longtime kicker Daniel Carlson this offseason, and the advanced analytics supported that decision. But the Silver and Black didn't know how good they had it, as replacement Matt Gay hasn't instilled much confidence so far.
Between Gay underwhelming and UDFA Kansei Matsuzawa struggling tremendously, many Raiders fans advocated for Carlson to return to Las Vegas. And while some options for Carlson certainly presented themselves this preseason, ultimately, he landed in a place we originally thought he might.
On Monday morning, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that Carlson was signing with the New Orleans Saints. The Silver and Black's former All-Pro kicker will have some work to do down there, but for now, the Raiders' Carlson reunion dreams are dead.
Former Raiders K Daniel Carlson ends reunion hopes by signing with Saints
Now, let's be clear: Carlson is not guaranteed to make the roster in New Orleans. A reunion could still be on the table. As it stands now, the Saints have three kickers on the roster, as Charlie Smyth and Tanner Brown had been competing for the starting role up until this point. Now, Carlson is in the mix.
To be fair, it doesn't say a lot about Smyth or Brown that the team added another kicker into the battle at this point, especially a veteran with a pedigree like Carlson's. It is entirely possible that the former Raider runs the table and becomes the Saints' kicker for the 2026 NFL season. We will see.
Ironically enough, the Saints traded for former Las Vegas running back Zamir White just one night before signing Carlson, so there is a bit of a Raiders reunion going on in New Orleans between those two and Tyree Wilson, who was dealt there earlier this offseason.
And if all goes right for this trio of players, then they'll get to face Klint Kubiak's team in Week 3 at Caesars Superdome with a chance at revenge. All three players were discarded by the current regime in the past few months, so it could be an emotional game for many involved.
Back to Carlson, though, he lost his touch quite a bit last season after a steady downward trend over the last few years. He did finish his career in Las Vegas with a career-long 60-yard game-winning field goal in the 2025 finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, but that was more of an exception, not the rule.
Carlson had many legendary moments in the Silver and Black that the fanbase will always cherish. So much so that it didn't take long for fans to be pounding the table to bring him back. But for now, those dreams must be put on hold as Carlson competes for the starting job in New Orleans.
Good luck, Daniel. Once a Raider, always a Raider!
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