It'd probably be best to avoid any competition with Daniel Carlson where the winner is determined by exhibiting patience, because the New Orleans Saints kicker appears to have a reservoir.
The unrestricted free agent signed with the Saints on Monday — after OTAs and minicamp, after 26 days of training camp, after three joint practices and two preseason games, with one more scheduled practice Wednesday and a walkthrough Thursday before the final preseason game Friday, against Dallas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tx.
That's when the timing felt right for the former two-time All-Pro, and that's when he committed.
"Obviously, it took a while for it all to play out," said Carlson, who weighed several offers. "There was just a lot of thought about where we were going to end up. We've got young kids (three, with one on the way) and my wife and I — we live in Auburn, Ala. — and we were really hoping for something local. And this is as local as you can get to Alabama.
"The Saints were always one of those teams. There were some discussions throughout the free agency process. It ended up just being an opportunity and the timing of it worked better. At this point it was like, let's just go compete and see what happens."
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2026 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Tuesday, August 25.
The goal for the Saints would be for Carlson to regain the form that made him one of the best in the business. He has made 86.9 percent of his field goal attempts (225 of 259) and in his All-Pro seasons of 2021 and 2022, he made 40 of 43 and 34 of 37, respectively. In 2025, the last of his eight years with the Raiders, he made 22 of 27, including a career-best 60-yarder.
"I would have loved to have gone through OTAs and training camp, but at the time, just talking with other teams and different options — and part of it was we just didn't have the clarity on what we wanted to do for a while," Carlson said.
He joins a kicking competition that already has two participants: Charlie Smyth and Tanner Brown. Neither was able to create separation from the other before Carlson was added.
"I think you just look at his career production that he's had," Saints special teams coordinator Phil Galiano said. "For his career, he's 87 percent and I think inside the 50 he's like 90 percent for his career. So it just gives you another option at this point to be able to bring in and evaluate."
The Saints will utilize practice Wednesday at Tulane's Yulman Stadium, and the preseason game against Dallas, to squeeze in work for all three.
"I think when you want to make anything happen, you can find a way to make it happen," Galiano said. "So, all three are going to kick (Wednesday), we get to go to Tulane and we'll have some fans there, we'll create a pretty good atmosphere. We'll just add a couple of field goal periods to it and get those guys the opportunity to perform there."
He said the Saints were comfortable with Smyth and Brown, and both have had good stretches during training camp.
"Obviously it's a production-based business — each of them has had a miss in the (preseason) game," Galiano said. "They had each went a stretch where in the practice sessions that we had, were perfect and then last pregame, like 15 of 16 in the pregame warmup. So you've got to take all that into consideration. And then I just think the opportunity presented itself for us to get eyes on Daniel and kind of see where that is."
At present, the "where" is with the Saints, after a lengthy delay. Carlson said he didn't consider retirement and stayed sharp in part by enlisting the aid of former teammates and kicking at his alma mater, Auburn University.
"I was very blessed and fortunate to be with one organization for eight years," he said. "I appreciate how rare that is. So, just taking a step back and taking some time to evaluate priorities and where we wanted to be in life. My wife and I, we prayed about it for a long time and just talked through some of those conversations with teams. This was just the one where it made a lot of sense.
"Wanted to come in and compete and earn a job this week. I know Tanner and Charlie, both are great kickers. I have no idea how this is going to play out but I think it's a good opportunity and a great city, (and) I've heard a lot of great things about the organization."
