Special teams have been a problem for the Green Bay Packers for far too long. Last season, issues on special teams cost the team at least three wins during the regular season. It also cost them dearly in the playoff loss in Chicago as Brandon McManus missed three kicks in a game the team lost by four points. The Packers have made substantial changes to their special teams unit including hiring a new special teams coordinator in Cam Achord. But is this the year the Packers special teams finally help the team win games rather than contributing to several losses?
Achord discussed his approach to special teams when he first addressed the media after he was hired by the Packers. “It starts with the fundamentals and the techniques. You'll hear me say that a good bit,” Achord explained. “It's the hand placement, it's the blocking leverage, it's the returner knowing the tracks he has to run. It's all tied together. But I think for our guys, it's understanding the concept and then the belief in knowing as long as I do my job, it's gonna set up everyone else out on the field.”
The Packers have a new special teams coordinator in Achord. Throughout the preseason, the special teams unit seemed to have a new attitude filled with more enthusiasm. It was also encouraging to see both the kick and punt coverage units doing a better job and a dramatic drop in the number of penalties called against the special teams units in preseason.
The Packers also have some new players to watch this season on special teams. GM Brian Gutekunst signed free agent Skyy Moore to be the team’s new return specialist. He will be the first option on both kick and punt returns. Moore looked the part in training camp, and he could be an important factor in shortening the field for Jordan Love and the offense. Even a few extra yards per return could have an impact on the way the offense operates. Moore finished last season with an average of 11.6-yards per punt return and 27.5-yards per kick return.
The Packers also have a new kicker. Gutekunst traded up to select Trey Smack with the final pick in the sixth round of the draft. In training camp, Smack struggled and was missing a concerning number of field goal tries. It got to the point where head coach Matt LaFleur asked the officials at training camp to stop signaling whether kicks were good or not in an attempt to take some pressure off the former Florida star.
But once the preseason started, Smack looked like a different kicker. He not only made his kicks consistently, but he hit on long distance tries of 50 yards or more. His strong leg will give the Packers a weapon they have not had in recent seasons. If the Packers can get the ball to the opposing 40, they have a realistic chance of putting points on the board with a long-range Smack field goal.
The Packers are already set at punter with Daniel Whelan. In 2025, Whelan became the first player in Packers history to lead the NFL in punting average. That’s not easy to do when you play half your games at windy and often cold, Lambeau Field. Whelan averaged 51.7 yards per punt last season. Again, field position can have a major impact on the outcome of games. The Packers will need another strong season from Whelan to compete in the ultra-competitive NFC North.
Achord seems to have brought a new attitude to the special teams units. While the players all seemed to like his predecessor, Rich Bisaccia, the results were never there consistently.
The Packers now have an opportunity to turn what was a major problem area into an area of strength. At least, they need the special teams units to get to the point where they are in the middle of the league rankings and do no harm. Eliminating the frequent penalties, mental errors and blocking breakdowns would go a long way to making 2026 a better season than 2025. In the preseason, Achord’s units gave fans reasons for optimism. Now, they need to deliver when it counts.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.