Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
Throughout the 2025 season, the New Orleans Saints have had more than their fair share of concerns. Some ebb and flow while others persist. One issue that has been a constant for New Orleans this year has been place-kicking.
With a struggling offense, points have been a premium for the Saints, having scored more than 20 points just twice this year. During a stretch like this one, field goals can be the difference in a game and help the team build momentum.
However, the Saints and kicker Blake Grupe currently hold the NFL’s second-lowest field goal percentage on the season (Monday Night Football pending) at just 69.2%.
“It’s not working right now,” Grupe said after the game of his on-field performance despite strong weeks of practice. “All I can do at this point is look at literally everything. Look into myself, first of all, and go from there. Other than just continuing to put the work in week-by-week and day-by-day, that’s all I can do at this point.”
On Sunday, Grupe missed two manageable kicks from 37 and 46 yards out against the Atlanta Falcons. He made his third attempt, which was from 33 yards away. The performance has now prompted the Saints to bring in kickers for tryouts, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill.
Between those tryout players and practice squad kicker Charlie Smyth, based solely on performance, there should be no reason that the team isn’t fielding a new kicker in its Week 13 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
Grupe holds the franchise’s lowest field goal percentage since 1970 among kickers with at least 25 field goal attempts through week 12 of a season. The 55-year low average can no longer beg patience and understanding. A change must be made.
The Saints are teetering on a concerning precedent having not already made the switch, which would have been warranted weeks ago. The negotiation between trying to establish a pro-player, patient approach is quickly giving way to the need to establish accountability. Grupe has been with the team since unseating former kicker Wil Lutz, who was traded to the Denver Broncos to reunite with head coach Sean Payton.
Since Lutz was traded, he has posted a better field goal percentage than Grupe.
- 2023: Grupe – 81.1% | Lutz – 88.2%
- 2024: Grupe – 87.1% | Lutz – 91.2%
- 2025: Grupe – 69.2% | Lutz – 85.0%
New Orleans has an opportunity now to course correct a bit in a season where opportunities have been plentiful for developing and young players. Smyth could be next on the list should he outperform the potential tryout players from the current stock of unsigned kickers.
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