The New Orleans Saints have two kickers for one roster spot. Tanner Brown comes from the UFL. Charlie Smyth returns from the NFL's International Player Pathway. The Saints signed Brown to a contract instead of a camp invite, and that move turned this into one of the training camp battles to follow. Saints players report to training camp on July 28, 2026, and rookies and veterans arrive the same day.
Why Brown earned the shot
Brown kicked for the Louisville Kings in 2026. He made 25 of 28 field goals in the regular season, a rate of 89.3%. That total set a UFL single-season record for field goals made. He scored 99 points across 10 games and hit 17 of 18 attempts from 20 to 49 yards.
Brown added range in the playoffs. He made two field goals from 60-plus yards in one game against the St. Louis Battlehawks, from 60 and 63 yards. He became the first kicker in pro football history to make two 60-yard field goals in one game. He went 4 for 4 on field goals in the postseason and won the United Bowl with the Kings. The UFL named him Special Teams Player of the Year.
New Orleans signed Brown to a two-year deal worth $1.97 million with $36,000 guaranteed after a tryout. The guarantee tells the story. The Saints' previous kicker signed with $20,000 guaranteed. The higher number shows the team sees Brown as more than camp depth.
Smyth's opening
Smyth reached the NFL on a path few kickers take. He played Gaelic football and served as a goalkeeper for the Down county team in Ireland through 2023. He entered the league on the International Player Pathway in 2024.
Smyth handled the Saints' kicking in 2025. He made 12 of 16 field goals, a rate of 75%, and hit 4 of 6 from beyond 50 yards. He made all 13 extra points. His field goal rate ranked among the lowest of NFL kickers in 2025. The extra points and the leg are there. The missed field goals are the opening Brown can take.
How the job gets decided
Both kickers reach from distance. The decision points to the 25 to 45 yard range, where Smyth missed and Brown made nearly every kick. Brown went 17 of 18 from 20 to 49 yards in the UFL regular season. Accuracy inside 45 yards decides more games than range does.
Conditions favor accuracy too. The Saints play half their schedule indoors at the Caesars Superdome. A domed field removes wind and rain. In those conditions, the kicker who misses less holds the edge.
The UFL pipeline angle
Brown would join a line of kickers the UFL has sent to the NFL. Brandon Aubrey kicks for the Dallas Cowboys. Jake Bates kicks for the Detroit Lions. Andre Szmyt kicks for the Cleveland Browns. Harrison Mevis kicks for the Los Angeles Rams. Each one kicked in the spring league before earning an NFL job. Brown is the next name in that line.
What to watch
Sports Illustrated projects Brown at about 70% to win the job. Camp opens July 28, and the preseason field goal attempts will settle it. Watch the makes and misses from 30 to 45 yards. The kicker who converts those in August keeps the job in September.