The Packers’ renovated their special teams operation this offseason, and their reworked approach is already paying dividends.
Gone is Rich Bisaccia, embattled coordinator of (kind of) underperforming special teams units. Now those phases of the game fall under the purview of Cam Achord, recently of the New York Giants. How are things going so far?
Well, Trey Smack was literally perfect in the preseason, banging through nine field goals and seven extra points. His field goal work included conversions
of considerable distance, too: he made a field goal of at least 58 yards in two of the Packers’ three preseason games (not to mention one erased by a penalty in Pittsburgh), demonstrating the kind of leg the Packers wanted when they traded up to get him in this spring’s draft.
The Packers’ return units were excellent, too. They averaged 32.6 yards on six kickoff returns, bolstered in part by a 68-yard effort by Pierre Strong Jr. in Denver. That would have been the best figure in the NFL last year by nearly three full yards. Even without Strong’s big runback, the Packers still averaged 25.6 yards per return in the preseason, nearly half a yard better than last year.
Punt returns were even more of an improvement. Will Sheppard’s 81-yard touchdown in Week 3 of the preseason was probably the single most exciting play of the preseason, especially considering Packers fans haven’t seen a punt return touchdown since Micah Hyde took one back for a score against the Lions late in 2014. But beyond that, every punt return on which the Packers actually gained yards in the preseason beat their season average of 5.6 yards last year. Skyy Moore alone had returns of 16 and 14 yards, which normally wouldn’t be that much to get worked up over but for the dreadful state of the Packers’ return game for what feels like forever.
And of course, Daniel Whelan was his typically excellent self, launching shamrock bombs high into the night in his usual fashion.
But the caveat here is obvious: it’s just the preseason. You’re not getting your opponent’s best looks during preseason competition, they’re not playing their best guys, and nothing is, well, real. Nothing counts! That’s the point of preseason football.
That’s fair to point out, but the Packers’ special teams have been so far from special for years and years it’s hard not to be excited. Look at this as crossing the first hurdle, and doing so with style.
There are challenges ahead, of course, and the first and foremost one will be navigating some uncertainty with the field goal and extra point operation. The Packers’ first significant cut prior to the deadline was Cal Adomitis, who’d been signed as an injury replacement for Matt Orzech, who has been on the Physically Unable to Perform list for the duration of training camp. Adomitis has been a starting-caliber long snapper in the NFL before, holding down roles with the Bengals and Eagles. There were plenty of people, me included, who thought the Packers might roll with him into the regular season, keeping Orzech on the PUP until Adomitis either falters or Orzech is fully ramped up.
Brian Gutekunst saw it differently, or seems to have. There are certainly possible roster machinations that would bring Adomitis back. But in any case, the Packers have a small bump to navigate on special teams. It won’t be the last.
Kicks will be missed. Returns will be surrendered. And penalties? There will be penalties. But for now, the Packers’ biggest problem is reintegrating a long snapper who’s already been with the team for three full seasons.
In the grand scheme of the Packers’ special teams struggles, that’s barely worth a mention. Things are in a good place right now, and considering how last season ended, it’s hard not to be excited about where things stand.
