The Green Bay Packers are practicing in pads for the first time on Monday as they ramp up their preparations for the 2023 NFL season. But one area that seems full of uncertainty is the Packers special teams. One week into camp, both the kicking and punting jobs seem to have uncertainty and a lot of questions surrounding them.
Packers Special Teams Battle Number One: Punting
The Packers presently have two punters in training camp. The incumbent and favorite to win the job again is veteran Pat O’Donnell.
The former Bears punter had a strong debut season with the Packers last year. He averaged 44.5-yards per punt and placed 24 punts inside the opponent’s 20 while having only one touchback.
O’Donnell helped solve the Packers struggles at holding for field goals and extra points, doing a consistent job at that task. He helped Mason Crosby have a bounce back season in 2022 after he struggled the previous season.
His competition in training camp is from Daniel Whelan. The former Cal-Davis star has spent time in training camp with the Saints in 2022 but didn’t make their roster. He later punted in the XFL where he earned all-league honors.
Thus far, Whelan has had a strong training camp and looked very good on Saturday afternoon’s practice. He clearly outkicked O’Donnell on that day.
“He’s done a heck of a job since we’ve gotten him,” head coach Matt LaFleur said when asked about Whelan. “He definitely has a big-time leg. And it’s great. You want competition at every position, because it’s going to push us to be better.”
For Whelan to have a chance to unseat the veteran, he will need to continue to outshine him on punts and prove he can handle the holding duties as well.
The battle will continue as training camp goes on.
Packers Special Teams Battle Number Two: Kicker
The Packers only have one placekicker on their roster as of now, sixth-round pick Anders Carlson. The rookie is taking over for Crosby who the Packers opted not to re-sign this offseason. Crosby kicked for the Packers since 2007 and is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
Carlson needs to show he can do the job consistently this preseason. He struggled badly in the team’s last practice on Saturday, making just 1-of-6 kicks although they were all from 45-yards and further out.
The Packers head coach tried to dismiss the poor performance. “It’s one practice,” LaFleur told reporters. “Certainly, you never want to see it, but it happens. It’s only a detriment if you don’t learn from it and if you don’t correct it and so it’s going to be fun – he’s not kicking today; he’ll kick tomorrow…It will be fun to see how he responds. That’s one of the challenges of all sports. How do you respond when things don’t go your way?”
If Carlson stumbles, the Packers could always bring back Crosby who has yet to sign with another team.
That leaves both Packers special teams jobs up in the air as we head into week two of training camp.
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