We should comment on money in this discussion.
The name kickers who have been recently cut were let go over money. They all seem to have been making about $2.5 mil per year. That will pay for a rookie low round pick or FA for 4 years. A guy like Carpenter is waiting around for some team to get desperate...injury, incumbent slump...to maximize his pay check. He's not going to sign some vet minimum with no bonus just to "compete".
If we want a guy like Carpenter we'll have to pay him some money and cut Crosby. A tryout and physical, maybe, but a competition...no way.
Further, Crosby's has 2 years left on his deal that had a $3 mil signing bonus. Cutting him now will cost $1.2 mil in dead cap money. In the old days, when cap $ didn't carry over, it wouldn't be an issue with the current cap cushion. Nowadays, dead cap is real money that could be used next year for somebody else.
As stated earlier, it is my opinion the Packers will stick with Crosby unless he suddenly implodes. I don't agree with that but I think that's what they'll do.
There are always one or two consensus premium kickers in every class and they usually pan out. And all they cost is a 6th. round pick and not much money. There's always the 2014 draft.