Packers latest move could be directly tied to playoff heartbreak vs. 49ers

Although the Green Bay Packers were up 21-14 on the San Francisco 49ers going into the fourth quarter of their Divisional Round playoff clash in the Bay Area, it was Brock Purdy's side that ended up victorious. The Packers' heartbreaking collapse cannot be pinned on one player, but even during the game, fans were nervous about rookie kicker Anders Carlson having to make a big kick in the clutch.

Carlson, who made just 7 of 13 field goals from at least 40 yards during the regular season, missed a crucial kick in the defeat. The 49ers kicker also missed a field goal, but Carlson's miss in a big game came after a season of underwhelming performances in his rookie year.

Maybe it is too early to give up on the sixth-round pick out of Auburn completely, but the Packers would be wise to bring in some competition. That's exactly what they are doing, too, as SI.com's Bill Huber reports former Georgia star Jack Podlesny is on his way to Green Bay.

Packers Rumors: Jack Podlesny could be better than Anders Carlson

Podlesny is no stranger to competing with Carlson, as the former Bulldog beat the incumbent Packers kicker in college for SEC first-team honors. Better yet, Podlesny destroyed Carlson's college numbers. He made 82.2 percent of his career field goals, while Carlson's career average was an honestly underwhelming 71.8 percent; he was nowhere near Podlesny.

There's a very real chance Podlesny could beat Carlson out for the starting kicker job in Green Bay next season. The Packers will have an open competition at the position, and just because Carlson was drafted doesn't mean he'll get any sort of advantage.

If anything, the pressure from fans may put him as a disadvantage, because they were clearly not happy with the rookie's performances in the 2023-24 season. Podlesny may have went on drafted, but with superior college numbers to Carlson, he has more than a fighting chance at winning this battle.