Green Bay Packers’ Kicker Situation Takes Concerning Turn

The Green Bay Packers are dealing with familiar uncertainty at the kicker position as training camp gets underway, with their latest draft pick showing early signs of inconsistency that have raised eyebrows among observers.

Rookie Trey Smack, selected in the sixth round out of Florida after the team traded up to grab him, connected on just three of his five field goal tries during his initial session of camp. He knocked through attempts from 28, 33 and 42 yards but pushed a 38-yarder and a 45-yarder wide left. Wind played a role, and a slightly low snap from a backup long snapper contributed to one of the misses.

That performance followed a shaky showing earlier in the week when Smack sailed a relatively short 35-yard try. Reporters covering the team have pointed to these results as potential red flags for a position the franchise has struggled to lock down for several seasons.

The problems date back to the departure of longtime kicker Mason Crosby after the 2022 campaign. Since then, the Packers have cycled through options without finding a consistent solution.

They used a sixth-round choice in 2023 on Anders Carlson, who converted a solid percentage of his kicks but ultimately was not retained. Last year, veteran Brandon McManus handled the duties and was nearly perfect on extra points yet finished at 80 percent on field goals.

Front office decision-makers clearly hoped Smack would break the pattern. He arrives with a college resume that suggested promise, yet the transition has not been seamless. During organized team activities and the mandatory minicamp, his results were uneven, prompting some analysts to flag him as a player to watch closely once padded practices began.

Green Bay’s approach of repeatedly drafting kickers from Southeastern Conference programs appears driven by a belief that those athletes can adapt to the challenging conditions at Lambeau Field. The wind is a constant factor in summer sessions, and the cold and snow of the regular season only heighten the difficulty. Whether that strategy will pay off with Smack remains an open question.

Coaches and specialists are working through the usual early-camp details of timing, ball placement and the preferred spot for the holder. Smack has said publicly that some misses in practice are expected as he dials in those elements for game days. He is also getting used to the slightly longer NFL football compared with the college version.

“The NFL ball’s a little bit longer than the college ball, so it has a bigger sweet spot,” Smack said recently. He added that the team seeks balls with a smooth surface and higher inflation so they cut through the air more cleanly and come off the foot with better consistency.

Those equipment preferences and operational fine-tuning illustrate why the process can feel high-maintenance during the summer months. The Packers appear willing to give the newcomer time to settle in, recognizing that the kicking job involves more variables than many outsiders realize.

Still, the organization has seen enough turnover at the position to understand the stakes. Special teams coordinators and the personnel staff will evaluate Smack’s progress over the coming weeks of camp and the preseason games that follow. Consistency on longer attempts and the ability to handle the elements will be key measuring sticks.

For now, the early returns have left room for concern. A reliable kicker can decide close contests in a competitive NFC North, and Green Bay has spent multiple draft resources trying to secure one.

Smack’s development will be one of the quieter but more important storylines as the Packers prepare for the regular season.

Team officials have not announced any changes to the competition at the spot, suggesting they intend to let the process play out. Fans and media will be watching every attempt closely in the days ahead, hoping the latest experiment finally brings stability to a critical role.