Kicker Brayden Narveson is four days away from helping the Green Bay Packers extend their streak of having at least one undrafted free agent on their opening day roster to 20 years.
Narveson was claimed off waivers by the Packers on Wednesday after the North Carolina State product was let go by the Tennessee Titans.
According to a report by ESPN's Rob Demovsky that was published on Sunday, Narveson was expecting to stay with the Titans.
"I was fully anticipating re-signing with the Titans on the practice squad," he said, per the report. "Even from the forefront, when they were recruiting me, if you will, during the draft, that was the guiding idea that that was probably what was going to happen. But at the same time, I prepared, I got opportunities in the games, I executed in the games."
Despite a standout preseason with the Titans which included converting on six of his seven field goal tries (including a 59-yarder and 46-yard walk-off winner), Narveson was facing a tough task to make it as the team's starter.
Tennessee already has one-time Pro Bowler Nick Folk on the roster. The 39-year-old had one of his best seasons in 2023 (his first with the Titans), going 29-for-30 on field goals for a career-high and league-best 96.7% success rate.
"(Leaving Tennessee) gave me the chance to come here, and I'm ecstatic," Narveson said. "I'm excited to be here and I'm going to continue to get better, because I don't want to stop here and I don't feel like I've arrived."
Green Bay's kicking gig opened up last week after the team released 2023 sixth-round pick Anders Carlson.
The Packers also had veteran Greg Joseph battling for the job, but he was cut one day after Carlson.
Narveson led the CUSA in field-goal percentage (92.9) with Western Kentucky in the pandemic-altered 2020 campaign and was fourth in the conference (79.3) in 2021. After dropping to 71.4% in 2022, Narveson bounced back to finish his college career with the Wolfpack by going 18-for-23 (78.3) to rank eighth in the ACC.
According to Demovsky's report, the 24-year-old made all five of his kicks during a closed scrimmage at Lambeau Field in his first practice with the team, including "a 58-yarder in windy conditions." Then on Sunday, he went 5-for-6 with his only miss coming from 51 yards out.
"Yeah, I've seen enough to be confident in him," Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said, per the report. "If that's what you're asking: Do I have confidence in him? Absolutely."
