Kicker John Carney to join the New Orleans Saints
According to Carney's agent, Jack Mills, John Carney will join the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints began to explore their options for the kicker position after current starting kicker, Garrett Hartley, missed a 29-yard chip shot in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons en route to a 27-24 defeat and spoiling the reigning Super Bowl champions
perfect start to the season.
The Saints have not yet stated who will be released in order to create room on the roster for Carney, but an anonymous source has hinted that Hartley will keep his job as starting kicker, but will now have a shortened leash, as Carney will provide competition
for the position. The addition of Carney also provides head coach Sean Payton with a second option, should Hartley be unable to turn his game around.
Carney is now 46-years-old, and has played for six different teams over his 21-year career, including seven seasons with the Saints. Carney was part of the active roster when the Saints won it all in 2009, and was initially brought in when Hartley was suspended
for four games after testing positive for Adderall - a banned stimulant. Carney was eventually moved into a position as a kicking consultant. Carney has kicked 473 field goals in his career.
Hartley's kicking struggles have been well documented so far this season, and he has missed three field goals on just seven attempts. His poor performance looks even worse given his heroics during last season's championship run, where he was a key ingredient
to the Saints' Super Bowl success. Hartley even became the first kicker to kick three field goals of over 40 yards in the Super Bowl.
The Saints will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in the NFL's week four.
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