Rastall Ramblings: Trey Smack Gives Hope for Packers Kicking Fix

If there’s one thing for Green Bay Packers fans to take from the preseason, it’s that there is serious cause for optimism that they’ve found a solution at kicker.

Green Bay rookie Trey Smack was a cause for angst among Packers fans keeping a close eye on training camp earlier this summer, with daily reports from beat writers often making note of Smack’s uneven performances.

Smack went 24 for 34 on field goals during practices, though had a more encouraging 6-for-7 output during the annual Family Night event at Lambeau Field.

He’s kicked it into high gear once the preseason games started. In an otherwise unremarkable 28-9 loss for the Packers in Pittsburgh in their opener, Smack grabbed plenty of attention by going 3 for 3 on field goals with a long of 58 yards. That stat line even undersells how good Smack was, as he hit another 58-yarder early in the game that was wiped out by a Steelers defensive penalty.

As an encore in Denver last Friday, Smack went 4 for 4 on field goals and made all three of his extra-point tries. The highlight of the evening for him was a perfect boot from 59 yards out that had plenty of distance to spare. Sure, the Denver altitude gives kickers that extra little distance boost, but this was no aberration for a guy who in college broke the Florida program record for most made field goals from 50 yards and longer.

It’s also notable that none of Smack’s kicks are just barely making it inside the uprights. Against the Steelers and Broncos, it was nothing but blasts right down the middle.

As far as the kicking operation goes, the only real intrigue going into the regular season is whether the Packers let it ride with current long snapper Cal Adomitis or slot Matthew Orzech (who suffered an injury during training camp) back into that spot once he’s healthy.

It’s obviously too soon to christen Smack as Green Bay’s surefire franchise kicker based on a couple of preseason games, but there is obvious cause for optimism when such a talented rookie is building a boatload of confidence before our very eyes. Plus, it’s hard to blame any Packer fan who is wholeheartedly hopping on the Trey Smack hype train after what a debacle the kicking situation has been for the franchise since parting ways with Mason Crosby after the 2022 season.

Anders Carlson had a brutal rookie season in 2023, capped off by 41-yard field goal miss in the fourth quarter of a 24-21 playoff loss to the 49ers. Daniel Whealen and Brayden Narveson weren’t the answer either. While Brandon McManus briefly helped stabilize the position, cracks started to show last season, and his fate was fully sealed after missing two field goals and an extra point in Green Bay’s calamitous playoff collapse in Chicago.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst made it clear he felt Smack was the guy to provide the long-term fix, trading up to pick him in the sixth round of April’s NFL Draft. As it turned out, Smack was the only placekicker selected in this year’s draft.

Kickoff rule changes mean teams are starting drives further up the field and can get into field-goal range more easily. Starting with last season, teams are able to prepare kicking balls ahead of games and use the same balls in both practice and games. Combine those factors with improved kicking play in general across the league, and it’s never been more imperative to have your kicker situation figured out.

We don’t know yet if Trey Smack is The Guy for the Packers, but the early returns are encouraging. If that continues in the face of the pressure of real games, he could be a major difference maker in the many close games Green Bay finds itself in.