Get to Know the Only Kicker On the Packers Roster
Parker White signed a futures deal after last season
It feels like Mason Crosby's era in Green Bay is over. On Monday, general manager Brian Gutekunst said during the owners meeting, in Phoenix, that "we're limited financially" when asked if the Packers would re-sign the veteran kicker. Especially in a time where the team is transitioning from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, it does make sense to go younger and cheaper elsewhere too. So, the Packers will enter the offseason program looking for a new kicker. However, there is already one player on the roster at the position: Parker White.
The 6-4, 207 lbs kicker is not exactly a rookie, and that's why the Packers were able to sign him before the draft. He played for South Carolina from 2017 to 2021, and ended up being undrafted last year. During the season, White didn't sign with anybody and had just one workout: with the Packers. He hit all eight of his field goal attempts and even hit a 60-yard kick in warmups. Green Bay didn't sign him right away, but took notes. Right after the season, the Packers called him and offered a futures deal.
"It's obviously been a dream of mine to play in the NFL," White said after signing with the Packers. "I'm a self-motivator. I've had that goal in mind of making it to the league and I wasn't going to let anything stop me. I was just continuing to work every day."
Being a specialist in the NFL is hard. There are just 32 roster spots around the league for kickers — some more during preseason, and now teams are using a practice squad spot, but there rarely are any guarantees. That's why Parker decided to open a trucking firm in South Carolina. He earned some money, and still had time to prepare for any potential opportunity.
"I've been trying to get my leg stronger to be able to handle the wind up there and the cold and have more leg strength so I can be better-suited to do kickoffs and field goals."
In his last season in college, at South Carolina, White made 16 of 17 field goals and was named second-team All-SEC. Throughout a solid career, he became South Carolina's all-time leading scorer, with 368 career points, and converted six fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning field goals.
Parker White knows his status as the only kicker on the Packers 90-man roster is temporary. During or after the draft, Green Bay will eventually add competition. But, for White, that's part of a process that includes competing with kickers around the league.
"I know they're going to sign somebody at some point. It's going to be a competition for it and I'm going to have to compete not only against him but against myself to continue to improve. I'm going to keep working every day and make sure that I'm the one kicking field goals this year because that's my goal.”
If Parker White makes the 53-man roster, he'll have a $ 750k salary for the 2023 season — he's under contract through 2024. Right now, that's what the Packers need: an inexpensive player who can produce and generate surplus value. Get ready for a kicking competition in Green Bay, and Parker White will be a part of it.
Photo: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
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Wendell Ferreira covers the Green Bay Packers for Zone Coverage and Cheesehead TV. He is a Brazilian journalist with over a decade of experience covering the NFL, soccer, NBA, and MMA. Follow him on twitter at @wendellfp
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Comments (25)
Packerpasty
March 28, 2023 at 11:06 am
Draft the kid from Michigan..
RCPackerFan
March 28, 2023 at 11:23 am
Moody
Irish_Cheesehead
March 29, 2023 at 10:51 am
Came here to say the same thing! Moody is going to have a long, successful career in the NFL. It's the perfect time to replace Mason with someone who can be just as reliable over the next 15 years.
greengold
March 28, 2023 at 11:18 am
In 2021, K Parker White from South Carolina converted 16 of 17 FG attempts and made all 30 PAT attempts, including a career long 54 yd. FG. Set the All-Time Points Scored record at SC with 368 points.
He had a down season in 2020, but the Gamecocks changed HCs, hiring Shane Beamer, and White fared much better in his last season there in 2021. He and Kingsley Enagbare were teammates on that 2021 SC team.
Gutekunst with another wily futures contract signing.
T7Steve
March 28, 2023 at 11:34 am
Have to kick the tires on this guy.
Too bad it doesn't work out to be able to keep all your vets forever.
PackAttack4155
March 28, 2023 at 11:34 am
Cue the kicker churn. I was interested to see more of Ramiz Ahmed in the second Minnesota game last season, but he was injured in warm-ups before the game. He looked good on kickoffs in the Dallas game. It's a small sample size, but his touchback rate was more encouraging than Crosby's. Was surprised the Packers didn't hold onto him for at least training camp competition this season.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
March 28, 2023 at 11:45 am
Always hard to see favorite players go but time never stops. With the salary restrictions and the team being forced to go young I am totally okay with the move to someone else. The Special Teams looks to be maybe the most promising area for the Packers this year, so no pooch kick here!
stockholder
March 28, 2023 at 11:53 am
I want Crosby.
TKWorldWide
March 28, 2023 at 01:20 pm
At what price?
jont
March 28, 2023 at 04:01 pm
We all want Crosby, stockholder. He's a Packer's Packer.
They probably already have a spot picked out for him in the Packer hall of fame, and he'll get a big welcome at Lambeau when he visits, but time comes for us all, and he's just not getting touchbacks the way he used to. It's a young man's game.
mnbadger
March 28, 2023 at 12:25 pm
Tip of the hat to the scouting dept and to Gutey for signing this guy to a futures contract when they did.
Obviously, he's proven nothing as a packer. He has college success, albeit in a southern climate.
You have to be impressed by hs physical attributes along with the character and intelligence to move on to a Plan B while honing Plan A.
Good luck kid, you'll be replacing a legend if called upon.
GPG!
TKWorldWide
March 28, 2023 at 01:21 pm
Strong leg? Check.
Good under pressure? Yet to be seen.
crayzpackfan
March 28, 2023 at 01:24 pm
A bit off topic. But the PFF draft sim is now behind a paywall. WTF?
TKWorldWide
March 28, 2023 at 01:55 pm
Gotta git them dollas.
1966-Guy
March 28, 2023 at 03:10 pm
Bring back Chester (The Molester) Marcol!
golfpacker1
March 28, 2023 at 03:10 pm
Mason Crosby is one of the Packers all time greats. Green Bay is a very tough place to kick. But all good careers come to an end sometime and that's the case with Mason. If he didn't have to kick off he would still be useful but the leg is not as strong anymore. Father time is catching up. I did not realize he made almost $5 million last year.
If he would play for $1 to $1.5 million next year and someone else could kick off into the end zone maybe we keep him. 2 bad years in the last 8 but you don't want any kick offs returned. You want a long field every possesion for your opponent. Ride off into the sunset Mason, you deserve it.
golfpacker1
March 28, 2023 at 03:12 pm
Spend a 7th round pick on Moody from Michigan. He is a good cold weather kicker.
harleycops
March 28, 2023 at 03:22 pm
I agree with goldpacker. We could get Moody for a late 7th rounder. Give him a shot, who knows - we could have kicker ROY for cheap rookie salary. If he doesn't work, cut him and try another.
stockholder
March 28, 2023 at 09:57 pm
A new Kicker-
1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago) - qb. Stroud
2. Houston Texans -qb. Young
3. Arizona Cardinals - ER Anderson
4. Indianapolis Colts - QB Richardson
5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)- DL J. Carter
6. Detroit Lions (from LA Rams)- CB- Gonzalez
7. Las Vegas Raiders- ER- T Wilson
8. Atlanta Falcons- ER- M. Murphy
9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina)- OL - P. Johnson
10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)-RB - B. Robinson
11. Tennessee Titans- OL- B. Jones
12. Houston Texans (from Cleveland)- WR- Q. Johnson
13. New York Jets- WR - J. Smith Njigba
14. New England Patriots - LB/ER- Nolan Smith
!5. Green Bay - P.Skoronski ???
Lootstone
March 29, 2023 at 04:08 am
Edit*
10. PHI - JSN
13. GB - Bijan Robison
15. GB - Peter Skoronski
Ok, proceed.
stockholder
March 29, 2023 at 05:48 am
Saw a Needs list for eagles.
RB was #1.
Lootstone
March 30, 2023 at 02:59 am
Shhhh. Hurts can run it. Let them keep relying on that.
PatrickGB
March 29, 2023 at 07:42 am
I live in South Carolina. I hated the Am Rodgers pick. I could not understand what Gutie saw in him. However, I do like Parker White. I think that if there is a kicking competition in camp with Rich as his coach, he will shine.
golfpacker1
March 29, 2023 at 10:48 am
Does Parker have the leg to consistently kickoff into end zone?
Since'61
March 29, 2023 at 04:30 pm
Who? Thanks, Since '61