Saints reopen kicker evaluation with Charlie Smyth in contention

New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore has opened an evaluation of the team's kicking options, putting Charlie Smyth in contention alongside first-choice kicker Daniel Carlson. According to BBC Sport, Moore said his staff would assess the position through kicking sessions during the week before deciding who should play against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

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Moore said the Saints had not added another kicker, leaving Carlson and Smyth as the two options under consideration. He did not announce a change or name a preferred player, saying the coaching staff still needed to discuss the situation and find a solution. The assessment follows an inconsistent start to the season for Carlson, who won the job before the campaign began.

Carlson, 31, has a field-goal success rate of 66% from 12 attempts this season, BBC Sport reported. His only game without a missed kick came against the Baltimore Ravens in September, when he converted three kicks. He has also made 16 of his 18 extra-point attempts. Those returns have come during a difficult opening stretch for New Orleans, who have won two of their seven games.

Smyth is currently on the Saints' practice roster after losing out to Carlson in the pre-season competition. The former Gaelic footballer from Mayobridge in County Down made his NFL debut last November and went on to make 12 of 16 field-goal attempts as a starter. He was also successful on all 13 of his extra-point attempts last season.

That playing experience did not secure Smyth the position for the current campaign. Following a mixed pre-season from the former Gaelic footballer, New Orleans chose Carlson as its first option. Smyth returned to the practice roster, but Carlson's subsequent difficulties have brought the question of who should handle the team's kicks back under review.

For now, Smyth's involvement in the evaluation does not amount to a confirmed return to the playing roster. Moore's comments leave the decision open, with both kickers due to be assessed before the Saints settle on their choice for Sunday.