NFL teams are certainly allowed to keep a backup kicker on their roster, but most teams elect not to.
That decision can have a big impact on NFL betting lines from time to time.
By rule, NFL teams can only keep 53 active players on their roster during the season. As injuries pile up over the season, most teams are unwilling to roster a backup place kicker.
It’s far more likely that they’ll need that spot for depth at a critical position (or special teams coverage) than it is that a kicker will be hampered by long-term injury.
Most teams keep one kicker, one punter and long snapper, but no other specialists.
That said, some teams may have a non-specialist utility player who can kick fields in a pinch. For instance, when Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker was injured early in the 2022 season, they let backup safety Justin Reid handle a few kicks.
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