Packers sign P Drew Kaser to their active roster

-- At least for right now, the Green Bay Packers will carry two punters on their active roster.

On Saturday, the team signed Drew Kaser, formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Field Yates of ESPN.

The move comes as a result of what felt like a disastrous outing against the Los Angeles Rams from the Packers' rookie punter, JK Scott. However, Scott has been well below average for consecutive weeks now.

He's averaged under 43 yards per punt in three of his last four games -- the only game he didn't was against the Detroit Lions last month, a game in which the Packers didn't punt once.

Prior to the bye week, Scott's average on four punts was 38.75 yards against the San Francisco 49ers, and it didn't get much better against the Rams, upping to just 42.80. That was his highest total since week three against the Washington Redskins, which, at the time, was his season low.

The Packers either felt the need to light a fire under Scott and make the rookie realize his job could be in jeopardy, as rookies tend to be on much shorter leashes, or there could be a subsequential transaction on the horizon.

Kaser, drafted seven spots after Scott two years earlier by the Chargers, has a 47.4 career average on punts. He's landed 50 of his 146 career punts inside the opposing 20-yard line. 

He was released earlier this month by the Chargers. The Packers had one open roster spot available after promoting running back Tra Carson from the practice squad to take the place of Ty Montgomery. 

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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].

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Comments (57)

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TKWorldWide's picture

November 03, 2018 at 04:47 pm

Hmmm...
Perform or...?

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Barnacle's picture

November 04, 2018 at 05:51 am

MM and special teams? I know, blame Gute, he picks the players?

Thank goodness Aaron can coach the wr’s, otherwise MM would have them stumbling like our ST’s.

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Koostyroosty's picture

November 04, 2018 at 10:39 am

Scott and his wife are expecting the birth of their first child this month. Maybe the baby is getting ready? I don't think it is anything involving performance.

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HankScorpio's picture

November 04, 2018 at 10:56 am

The Packers have not let on whether it is performance driven, baby driven or a little of both. The beat reporters are trying to get some clarity but have not been successful so far, at least as far as I have seen.

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Roadrunner23's picture

November 03, 2018 at 04:48 pm

WOW!
That is all

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Rak43's picture

November 03, 2018 at 04:48 pm

Hopefully Gute will be in contact with Bruce Irvin's agent as Oakland is releasing him today. Packers could definitely use him at OLB and he would be an upgrade over most if not all their current OLB's.

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TKWorldWide's picture

November 03, 2018 at 05:08 pm

Wow, that would be news!

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Bearmeat's picture

November 03, 2018 at 05:59 pm

Agreed!!!

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Chuck Farley's picture

November 03, 2018 at 06:17 pm

He comes with a big price tag I'm afraid. He will never come here. He's want moooooney

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Rak43's picture

November 03, 2018 at 07:06 pm

He's in the last year of his contract and whoever picks him up will only pay a prorated portion of his salary I believe. If that is correct he would be a one year rental for a few million at the end of which time they can decide to resign him or let him walk.

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dobber's picture

November 03, 2018 at 08:28 pm

It won't matter because he's subject to waivers, not an open bidding. He'll be claimed, not bought.

Ugh...my brain...

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Bearmeat's picture

November 03, 2018 at 09:31 pm

Right. In reverse order of standings, every team has the chance to claim him for the prorated portion of his remaining salary. So GB actually might have a shot if things drop right. 4 million is steep for 8 games if he's truly playing poorly. It's a steal if he's been solid.

With the desperate straits the Packers are in from an OLB perspective, I'd think long and hard about putting in a claim if I were in the personnel department.

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Rak43's picture

November 03, 2018 at 09:37 pm

Not sure about that dobber, maybe someone else would know like TGR perhaps, but I thought vets with a certain amount of accrued seasons were not subject to waivers but are free to sign with whomever they choose. Update: NFL vets with 4 or more accrued seasons are not subject to waivers but become FA's when released. https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/9/1/17805562/nfl-cuts-2018-explaining-h...

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Crackerpacker's picture

November 04, 2018 at 01:06 am

Clicked on your link, And it said after trade deadline all veterans went through waivers.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

November 04, 2018 at 01:22 am

UNLESS the veteran is released after the trade deadline. Everyone is subject to waivers after the trade deadline. I expect Irvin to pass through waivers. Per the Sac Bee, Oakland tried to trade him. He has a base of $8M so 8/17ths is $3.72M for the remainder of the season for any team acquiring him via waivers. Oakland has to pay him $8M since he is a vested vet who was on the roster for game 1 unless they were able to trade him or someone acquires him (and his contract) via waivers. If Irvin passes through waivers, Oakland still owes him the $8M unless there is offset language in the contract. I bring up offsets because Irvin might be able to double dip. If he can't double dip, it doesn't matter how much his new team pays him too much, so the vet min is more likely.

Irvin has 3 sacks (not bad but not great), 4 QB hits (less promising), and just a meager 6 tackles in 246 snaps. Fackrell has 13 tackles in 122 snaps. Apparently he is practically the only pass rushing threat on Oakland. Sounds like he should be an obvious pass rushing specialist only, when teams let us substitute him in.

IDK.

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Crackerpacker's picture

November 04, 2018 at 04:09 am

I agree why would any team claim him on waivers for what is left on his contract, when they could have done the trade before deadline day for the same and a conditional 7th rounder from some year in the future.I'm not saying the Packers will sign him when he clears waivers, But with how low his stock appears at the moment if i were him a team that appears to be one pass rusher away from being a pretty good defense is where i would want to go to improve my value for free agency.

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HankScorpio's picture

November 04, 2018 at 10:47 am

By the same token, Irvin will get paid that $3.72 mil whether he plays or not. So signing a vet min contract may not be at the top of his list of preferred options from here on out.

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HankScorpio's picture

November 04, 2018 at 10:57 am

Excuse the double-post.

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RobinsonDavis's picture

November 04, 2018 at 11:13 am

Thank you TGR!

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Point-Packer's picture

November 03, 2018 at 05:28 pm

Can GB carry another special teams coach on the active roster? Preferably another one of McCarthys buddies whose special teams knowledge is akin to not knowing ones dick from his asshole. Oh wait, GB already has one of those.

“Just kidding I suck at punting why’d you draft me?” Scott has been an utter disaster as of late.

Two punters on the active roster. Only this GB team..

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johngalt's picture

November 03, 2018 at 05:45 pm

Feel better?

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Point-Packer's picture

November 03, 2018 at 07:05 pm

Getting there.

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Turophile's picture

November 04, 2018 at 04:45 am

Scott's wife is due to give birth in November, so it is very possible that the extra punter is on a rental of a week or three, to allow Scott to be with his wife when she has the baby.

Since there is no reason to have only one idea behind this move, It may also help to focus Scott's mind, after a poor performance.

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Lphill's picture

November 03, 2018 at 05:32 pm

Bruce Irvin will cost 4 million for the rest of the season.

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Point-Packer's picture

November 03, 2018 at 07:07 pm

He's a nut job, but he'd be a huge upgrade to the 21$+ million dollars of massive underachievement GB has been trotting out to play OLB/Edge this year.

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Skip greenBayless's picture

November 03, 2018 at 11:30 pm

I often wondered how does a company like say Planter's Peanuts advertise for workers? Do they say Now Hiring!! Nut jobs!! Please apply inside. If somebody like a Bruce Irvin was an actual nut job as you claim and he was out of work, would he know he's a nut job and qualified to work there or would someone have to tell him.? I often thought of this.

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LeotisHarris's picture

November 04, 2018 at 01:05 pm

By "nut job" do you mean a kid who overcame a past that many do not to make it to the NFL?

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Bearmeat's picture

November 03, 2018 at 06:01 pm

1. Bruce Irvin - absolutely yes. Is he still good? I don't know and I don't care, but frankly, our OLBs couldn't be worse.

2. Drafting a punter with a 5th round pick (and an underachieving long snapper with a 7th) is a waste of a pick. We just saw why. He's been B-A-D. And now we're right back to the wire game. smh.

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Rak43's picture

November 03, 2018 at 07:31 pm

Irvin has 3 sacks and a forced fumble to go with a handful of pressures as the only real threat on the edge Oakland has.

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dobber's picture

November 03, 2018 at 08:31 pm

As a situational rusher, he's a step up compared to what the Packers have been showing. He's never been much against the run, but he won't need to be.

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Bearmeat's picture

November 04, 2018 at 07:25 am

nailed it.

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PAPackerbacker's picture

November 03, 2018 at 06:30 pm

I was wondering if the Packers would address the bad performances of JK Scott. That 25 yard punt against the Rams was ridiculous. Maybe this will open his eyes and get him back on track. Or maybe the Packers will keep Kaser and release Scott. Who knows? But I think this is a good move by the Packers, at least until they decide who is the better man for the job.

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Skip greenBayless's picture

November 03, 2018 at 11:42 pm

Man, I would hate to see Scott go. Scott has all the talent in the world. If they stuck with Crosby thru an entire year of bad kicking a few years ago, they need to do so with Scott. I know he's a rookie but he'll work his way thru this. I see him as the next Ray Guy. Another thing I'll say is Gute has now moved into Ron Wolf/Trump territory with this move. Being unpredictable and keeping everyone guessing is good for not only complacency on your roster but also against the opposition. You keep everyone on their toes at all times. Nobody saw this move coming. That's why I like it.

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Coldworld's picture

November 04, 2018 at 06:03 am

I agree. We give others a chance to achieve their potential. Scott looked great early on: he physically has it. If the potential is there, I want us rather than someone else to realize it.

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fthisJack's picture

November 04, 2018 at 07:49 am

look at how many were calling for Adams head a couple years ago. look how that turned out. i wouldn't give up on this kid yet.

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RobinsonDavis's picture

November 04, 2018 at 11:22 am

Agree with this Jack. I think the Packers are sending Scott a message, and this message is part of something larger. They want championship behavior and performance out of ALL their players. He has got to perform in clutch situations. He was not DRAFTED to be a middle-of-the-road punter.

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Lare's picture

November 03, 2018 at 07:09 pm

Bet BB is scratching his head over this one. Maybe MM & Zook are going to have two punters in at the same time, keep the Patriots guessing as to who they're going to hike it to.

Makes a lot more sense than adding someone to improve the S, OL, or OLB positions.

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stockholder's picture

November 03, 2018 at 08:36 pm

The draft Guru's called it a wasted pick to draft a punter. When you put 2 on your club. Oh well. Experts 1. Gute 0

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Roadrunner23's picture

November 03, 2018 at 09:42 pm

It always takes rookie Punters a season or two.
Scott is extremely talented but I don’t think he’s really kicked in cold weather. Think about the conditions in New England Sunday night.
Thought provoking indeed.

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Sam Freeman's picture

November 04, 2018 at 12:13 am

Do you know why this would be? Thanks

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4thand1's picture

November 03, 2018 at 10:09 pm

Another holder for Crosby? UGH !

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flackcatcher's picture

November 04, 2018 at 12:27 am

Why did the Packers do this now. They could have done this over the bye. Strange....

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

November 04, 2018 at 01:33 am

I read that Scott's wife apparently is about to have a baby. Could be during a game, I guess, so I don't know if this has anything to do with his recent performance. Gotta have a punter. Holding is more problematic.

Google search has no results for Scott's wife being pregnant. He got married in January, so....

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Skip greenBayless's picture

November 04, 2018 at 01:32 am

You are the new effing Jay Glazer Reynoldo. This makes my day. I love Scott's potential. Now it makes sense. I hope you are right and this isn't FAKE NEWS!!

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

November 04, 2018 at 01:44 am

I read it in a comment on another site. A poster wrote that he'd read that Scott's wife was pregnant, but he or she didn't provide a link. My google search didn't get any hits on Scott's wife being pregnant. So I can't confirm it. But there are reports he got married right after Bama's title game in January.

It is a possibility at this point.

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Crackerpacker's picture

November 04, 2018 at 02:51 am

I haven't seen it myself but i also read on twitter that when he was on clubhouse live his wife was there and was heavily pregnant.

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Crackerpacker's picture

November 04, 2018 at 04:14 am

I have now watched last Mondays episode, And when Brett Christopherson introduces her he says she is due to give birth any day.

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LeotisHarris's picture

November 04, 2018 at 04:19 am

This explains it. According to PFF, as long as data has been kept, punters whose wives are "heavily pregnant" have a net 38. 2 yard average in October.

I read Zook has some wild 2 punter formations in the works; think "Psycho Package" for special teams. What a time to be alive!

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HankScorpio's picture

November 04, 2018 at 10:29 am

Here is some more confirmation...

It's an article about Scott from August. Buried inside is the line that he is expecting a baby boy in November.

"Presently, his wife, Sydney, is pregnant with the couple’s first child, a boy due in November."

https://www.packers.com/news/jk-scott-energizing-mason-crosby-packers-sp...

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flackcatcher's picture

November 04, 2018 at 08:04 pm

Thanks guys, that clears that up.

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Ferrari Driver's picture

November 04, 2018 at 09:57 am

Punters and kickers are a weird lot and periodically just lose it. Sometimes they come back like Cosby has done and sometimes they may come back and it takes a while regain the confidence and stroke to deliver.

Kaser is a darn good punter and I would let him give it a go this week. Scott has been in a slump and I think we have a decent chance to beat the patriots this week and I am concerned about Scott for this week.

I can't envision Kaser punting as badly as Scott did in LA last week. Worth a shot.

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Cartwright's picture

November 04, 2018 at 11:06 am

If Jk Scott were pregnant I could understand the excuse, but he's not and therefore it's no excuse. Gute is holding his men accountable for their play and said that in his last presser. He just deep sixed two and with this move is continuing in that vein. A bad punter can kill your season. The kid better wake up and play better because he'll learn right quick the old adage of what the N.F.L. can stand for and that is Not For Long.

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TKWorldWide's picture

November 04, 2018 at 08:19 pm

A bad .......... can kill your season.
(Fill in blank with any position whatsoever.)

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blue eyes's picture

November 04, 2018 at 01:41 pm

He should've signed kickalicious. Lol

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SJ EC's picture

November 04, 2018 at 02:21 pm

Man, if a replacement was brought in every time a guy’s lady had a baby in-season, I think we’d see a lot more of this - I mean, the guys a punter, so I can maybe understand due to the specialization of the position, but come on... hopefully this is Gute’s way of telling Scott to pull it together

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PatrickGB's picture

November 04, 2018 at 03:02 pm

Just an emergency backup. It may also be a sign to the locker room. “We care about our players personal lives” . Or it may be “No one is immune to being replaced”.

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billythekid69's picture

November 05, 2018 at 10:40 am

hahahaha you all literally know nothing. They singed another punter, because JK's wife is pregnant and they thought she could've gone into labor during the game. They had a plane ready to take him home mid-game.... Sounds like somebody they're thinking about cutting..... What a joke

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