Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst gave an optimistic update on kicker Mason Crosby’s availability for Week 1 of the 2022 season.
“We’re very hopeful Mason is going to be back,” Gutekunst said Wednesday. “We expect him to kick game one, but we will be prepared if he doesn’t.”
Crosby missed all of training camp after undergoing knee surgery on his kicking leg. The Packers activated Crosby off the PUP list on Tuesday so he could be included on the team’s initial 53-man roster.
During the preseason, Ramiz Ahmed replaced an injured Gabe Brkic as the backup kicker for the final two games. Ahmed finished 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, with a long of 45 yards. He also made all three of his extra-point attempts.
Ahmed will serve as the team’s backup plan if Crosby isn’t ready.
“We still have a little ways to go, so the plan is to bring Ramiz back to the practice squad and have him there in case we don’t get there,” said Gutekunst.
Green Bay officially signed Ahmed to the practice squad, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The Packers’ general manager noted that Crosby has been “progressing really nicely” in his rehabilitation. The soon-to-be 38-year-old kicker echoed the same sentiment when talking to reporters last week.
“I’m hitting all the marks,” Crosby said. “As of right now, this is six weeks out, so that was kind of the goal was to be progressing and kicking more at this point. I hit a set inside today and felt really good. I’m just going to keep building off of that. The goal is obviously to be full-go and ready to go by Week 1.”
Crosby was a seventh-round pick in 2007 and is now the team’s all-time leader in points and field goals made. He ranks No.2 in franchise history for games played and consecutive games played, trailing Brett Favre’s streak of 255. Obviously, Crosby’s health is most important, but breaking Favre’s record will serve as added motivation.
Green Bay will begin their season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 11.
