New Orleans Saints kicker Charlie Smyth (groin) didn't suit up during Sunday's preseason contest against the Tennessee Titans. The rookie kicker has been dealing with an ongoing groin issue since Friday. Head coach Dennis Allen said that the team wanted to play it safe and hold Smyth out of this game. In his absence, Blake Grupe handled the kicking duties during the preseason finale. He connected on both his field goal attempts and made all three of his extra point attempts as well. It remains to be seen which kicker the team decides to ride with into the regular season. Grupe is probably the favorite after making 30-of-37 field goal attempts and all 40 extra point attempts during his rookie season with the Saints in 2023.
The New Orleans Saints signed Irish kicker Charlie Smyth to an undisclosed deal on Friday through the league's International Player Pathway, adding him to a group that also includes second-year kicker Blake Grupe. Smyth was formerly a goal keeper for the County Down Gaelic football team in the Gaelic Athletic Association. The NFL UK social media account recently shared a video of Smith making a 63-yard field goal, and he also made 12 of his 16 field-goal tries during the NFL combine in February. The 22-year-old is the first Irish player to sign an NFL contract through the IPP. The Saints would be allowed to carry an extra spot on their practice squad for Smyth if he doesn't make the active roster out of training camp. It's a cool story, but he's unlikely to overtake Grupe as the primary field-goal kicker in 2024.
