Packers Elevating Kicker Against Vikings

The Green Bay Packers are making a move at kicker for their must-win game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Dec 31, 2022 2:18 PM EST

In this story:

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will elevate kicker Ramiz Ahmed to the gameday roster for Sunday’s showdown vs. the Minnesota Vikings.

The Packers will use Ahmed’s strong leg on kickoffs as a way to help combat explosive Vikings returner Kene Nwangwu, who ranks No. 2 in NFL with a 26.0-yard average. In his second year in the league, he’s got three career touchdowns, including a 97-yard touchdown this season against New England. With 4.32 speed in the 40, Nwangwu trails only Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon in average and with five returns of 30-plus yards.

“He’s got great size and he’s got great speed and, obviously, he’s put on tape he has the ability to finish,” special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said. “He’s hard to tackle. He’s a slippery player. We only had to cover him one time the last time we played them up there. It will be a good challenge in this weather. He’s certainly going to get some returns against us. So, hopefully, we’ll tackle.”

While veteran kicker Mason Crosby remains reliable on field goals, his leg strength has taken a noticeable drop-off this season. Of 32 qualifying kickers, he’s last in average distance, hangtime and touchback percentage.

In his one game, against Dallas when Crosby was dealing with a sore back, Ahmed beat Crosby’s season averages by 2.3 yards and 0.28 seconds of hangtime.

“We know we’re going to get our opps, and you’ve got to make the most of those – knowing it can go the other way, too,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said on Friday. “They like to cover kicks and try to back you up and make you drive farther down the field, so we’ve got to take those opportunities and try to shrink the field for our offense when we can, and Kene’s proven to be a guy that if he gets a little bit of space in there, he can take it the distance. So, hopefully, we’re able to get him loose a couple times.”

While kicking touchbacks will be a challenge on a 35-degree day, the hope is Ahmed can kick the ball further down the field to help a surging coverage unit. Against Miami on Sunday, the Dolphins started beyond the 20 just twice in six opportunities. Veterans Rudy Ford and Dallin Leavitt and youngsters Tariq Carpenter and Innis Gaines were dominant.

“I thought the kickoff coverage a week ago was, it was a clinic reel,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “It’s going to be a great challenge for us, but I’m excited to see how we do.”

Also, according to a source, practice-squad safety Micah Abernathy is going to be poached by another team and added to that team's 53-man roster.