The Las Vegas Raiders worked around the clock on the first day of the legal tampering period, even starting their festivities with a trade the night before the shenanigans commenced. Then, by Monday evening, they had agreed to terms with several coveted and expensive free agents.
But late on Monday night, John Spytek kept working. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero broke the news that Las Vegas was signing veteran journeyman kicker Matt Gay, which seemed to all but end Daniel Carlson's tenure as the Raiders' kicker. ESPN's Ryan McFadden confirmed this.
"Source said Spytek and the new regime decided to move on from Daniel Carlson, hence the signing of Matt Gay," McFadden wrote.
Raiders end Daniel Carlson era by signing kicker Matt Gay
Carlson certainly had his shortcomings over the last few years, but his reputation as "Cash Money Carlson" still preceded him. That said, the Raiders brought in competition for him at one point last season, and with a full slate of free agent options now, Las Vegas has decided to move on.
Of course, with Maxx Crosby and now Carlson gone, only two players remain from the franchise's days in Oakland: Kolton Miller and A.J. Cole, and only the latter was drafted by the team. This is a true turning of the tide. But in a football sense, not bringing Carlson back for Gay doesn't compute.
On paper at least, Carlson, despite his prowess dwindling over the past few years, is still a better kicker than Gay is. Over the last three years, Carlson has made 84.5% of his field goals for just one team, and Gay has made only 80.2% while moving between three teams.
To be fair, Carlson has only made 96.2% of his extra points in that span, and Gay has made 98.9%. But Carlson has the same or a better made field goal percentage from 20-29 yards, 30-39 yards and from 50+ yards. That is critical, as Carlson made 59% of his 50-plus yarders, and Gay just 48%.
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Gay was incredibly consistent from under 50 yards last season, only missing one kick, whereas Carlson missed two. But he made just four of his nine kicks from over 50 yards, and just three of nine the year prior. Yes, Carlson was declining, but Gay appears to be, too.
But this signing makes sense because in Gay's glory days, which was back during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Joe DeCamillis was his special teams coordinator. So, Gay and DeCamillis are reunited in Las Vegas now in 2026.
Older kickers can certainly get on a hot streak and sip from the fountain of youth, but it may behoove the Silver and Black to add another kicker or a rookie into the equation and have the two of them compete during training camp and the preseason.
Time will tell whether or not the Raiders made the right decision moving on from Carlson, whose final act in Las Vegas was a career-long 60-yard game-winning field goal. Based on the numbers, and Gay's KVA, this looks like a downgrade. Hopefully, the numbers are lying to us.