Punter Pat O'Donnell should be a difference-maker for Packers

The special teams woes of the Green Bay Packers have been well-documented. Nearly every phase of the unit has performed poorly over the last few years. Whether it's the operation on field goals, punting or even kick and punt coverage, the team is in need of a big turnaround. 

The addition of veteran special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia will almost certainly help that cause. Bisaccia has coached football for almost four decades and has coached special teams in the NFL for 20 years. 

In one of the quietly great moves of the offseason that will aid Bisaccia and his units, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst signed veteran punter Pat O'Donnell, who spent those first eight seasons in Chicago. That is significant because Chicago gets very cold in the winter obviously. It gets even colder up in Green Bay. One of the many problems on special teams last year was the inability to punt in cold weather and get a good hold on snaps during the field goal operation. 

In terms of the poor field goal operation, the nine misses will go under franchise legend Mason Crosby's name, but they were not all his fault. Former punter Corey Bojorquez would sometimes drop the snap or even once he got the snap down, he would spin the ball so the laces would be facing Crosby. That is a big no-no on special teams. O'Donnell's experience holding for the Bears for so long will definitely pay off for field goals and extra points.

In terms of punting, Bojorquez struggled when the weather turned. He would start shanking punts off the side of his foot and setting the opposing team up with good field position. Again, O'Donnell, who has experience punting basically on Lake Michigan in December and January, will almost certainly improve that aspect of the special teams. 

It's not the most attractive signing, but it really could be the difference between winning a Super Bowl or not. The only thing standing in the way of Green Bay last season was its special teams. O'Donnell will go a long way toward helping Bisaccia turn this unit around.