Trey Smack, the Green Bay Packers’ new kicker, is out here hitting two 58-yard field goals in Pittsburgh, with one getting negated by a penalty. Seriously. That’s the kind of leg power that has everyone buzzing, especially after all the eye-rolls when the Packers drafted him. Forget the doubters, because this guy’s early showing points to something way bigger than just another specialist.
The Kicker Nobody Took Seriously
A lot of people absolutely roasted the Packers for spending a draft pick on a kicker. The usual arguments flew around: kickers are “barely football players,” they’re not on the field much, and the difference between an average and elite kicker isn’t *that* big. But anyone who watches football knows those arguments miss the entire point. To contend, you NEED a good kicker, or at least one that’s average. And how do you get one? You acquire one. While free agency can cost a fortune and UDFAs are a gamble, a sixth-round pick? That feels perfectly reasonable, a smart investment. The truth is, kickers find themselves in EXTREMELY high leverage situations. The difference in Win Percentage Added can be absolutely stark. Remember last year? Brandon McManus totally honked a PAT and a makeable field goal in a playoff game. That’s the highest leverage moment you can have, and it cost them. The Packers haven’t had an average kicker since Mason Crosby, so if Smack is just average, that’s already a massive baseline upgrade for them.
58 Yards? Yeah, That Changes The Game
Here’s where it gets real interesting. McManus hit a fair share of kicks over 50 yards (6 for 8), but outside of that Denver mile-high air, his power was just average. Smack, though? This dude seems to have a truly huge leg. He put on a show in preseason Denver, sure, but then he drilled those two 58-yarders in Pittsburgh! One got called back, but the power was there. Kicking power isn’t the only thing that matters, but it completely opens up new scoring opportunities. Think about it: it can replace some of those Hail Mary throws. A Hail Mary is a 10% proposition at best, right? But turning a few of those desperate heaves into legitimate 50/50 long field goal tries in high-leverage moments? That’s game-altering, plain and simple.
Trey Smack hasn’t even played a down in the NFL yet, but the potential is undeniable. If he’s just average, he’s instantly the best Packers kicker they’ve had in years. His physical tools look excellent, and that’s a huge shift from what they had with McManus, who lacked both a ceiling and a floor. Daniel Whelan has already basically solved their punting issues. If Smack can step up and actually hit some clutch kicks, the Packers could finally, finally have a net positive special teams performance for the first time in ages. That’s a huge piece of the puzzle if they want to make some noise this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
Leave a Reply