After 16 Seasons In The NFL, Will This Silver Fox Finally Hang Up His Cleats?
Mason Crosby is currently the kicker for the Green Bay Packers but his time in Green Bay might be coming to a close. After the 2022-2023 NFL season concludes, Crosby will find himself as a 38-year-old free agent. There will be several questions over the next few months about whether he’ll continue playing or retire. With those two questions come three possible outcomes for his future.
Will Green Bay Re-Sign Mason If He Wants To Play?
All reports that I’ve read point towards no. Crosby continues to be the longest-active NFL kicker to not miss a game but he’s had several close calls that required the Packers to sign a backup if he couldn’t play. Crosby is currently 38 years old and he’ll turn 39 in September as the next NFL season kicks off. There’s no doubt that he’s been reliable for the Packers over the last 16 seasons but his strength to kick the deep ball is now in doubt. Crosby was only able to make one out of four 50-plus yard attempts this season and the one came in Week 17 against the Vikings in 40-degree temps.
The downside of signing a new kicker to replace Crosby is that Mason knows how to kick at Lambeau field, whether it be in sub-zero temps, in the snow, or the high winds off the bay, he has been elite over the years, and something that won’t be soon forgotten. Green Bay has a way of holding onto players for the long haul, like Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. There comes a time in every player’s career when they get let go or call it quits and retire on the mound of money that they have earned over the years.
As the Packers continue to figure out whether they will be in “rebuild mode” with or without Aaron Rodgers, a younger and stronger kicker seems to be the consensus in Green Bay. Crosby accounted for roughly five million dollars in cap space in 2022 and signing or drafting a younger kicker could relieve most of that for 2023. Due to Crosby’s accuracy within 40 yards, the Packers could hang on to him for one more year at the league minimum if Crosby wants to play another year and one that involves Green Bay. Doubtful but a possibility.
What Are The Chances That Another NFL Team Would Sign Him?
At this point in Crosby’s career, he’d have to go to a team with accuracy issues within the 40-yard line and one that has an offense that can continually put him in range. Indoor stadium teams or warm weathered stadiums would be the bread and butter for Crosby. After watching Brett Maher miss four extra points for the Dallas Cowboys against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his position with the team could be in question leading into the next season. Over 16 NFL seasons, Crosby has only missed 20 extra points and is hitting at 97.5 percent.
Due to his age, there aren’t many NFL teams that would go out and sign a soon-to-be 39-year-old kicker. With that said, he could be added as a backup if a young kicker is struggling. A mentor position, whether it happened to be in Green Bay or another team might be his best shot unless some feathers get ruffled in the offseason.
Pros And Cons Of Retiring From The NFL
In Crosby’s 16 seasons as an NFL kicker, he has earned just shy of $44.5 million. With his non-lavish lifestyle, he can live out the rest of his life as a retired kicker in the NFL and a projected Hall of Fame candidate. Crosby ranks 11th all-time in points scored and holds basically every franchise record as a kicker. Retiring now would end his career on a high note. Playing another year and even into his 40s could tarnish his stats as one of the NFL’s best kickers but could help him push the rankings in all-time points.
With Crosby’s contract ending this season and his noticeable decline in leg strength, hanging up the cleats is a strong possibility. One possibility that he’s tried to shoot down as he would still like to play for at least another year. He’s built his life around Green Bay and may try to figure out a one-year deal to stay in Green Bay. That’s if the Packers want to move on or not. Hard to get rid of a player that has been the face of your Special Teams unit for the last 16 NFL seasons. The next few months will be interesting for Mason Crosby. As a Packers fan, I hope a one-year extension can be worked out.