The rebuilt Green Bay Packers special teams made their debut last Friday by committing a penalty on the first play of the first preseason game.
As the game progressed, though, we saw tangible improvements — along with a few hiccups that remind us that change takes time. While special teams were once an afterthought in Green Bay, a philosophical shift from the top down was necessary. So far, new coordinator Rich Bisaccia is making an impression and taking every step he can to fix their traditionally woeful third phase of the game.
The Packers are leaving no stone unturned in the journey, trying to find the best people for the jobs. Whether it’s signing a new kicker, searching for a new long snapper, or starting the robot revolution, the Packers aren’t afraid to improve their specialists by any means they can.
Even after a dreadful 2021 season, it’s hard to believe Mason Crosby won’t be the primary kicker in 2022. But Green Bay’s all-time leading scorer remains on the PUP list with a knee injury, and the team needs an insurance policy.
Gabe Brkic had promise. He was one of the most hyped kickers in the 2022 draft class, but he wasn’t making an impression in training camp. After shanking a 32-yard field goal attempt against the Niners, the Packers went in a different direction.
Former Pittsburgh Mauler Ramiz Ahmed is in, and Brkic is out. They signed Ahmed, a teammate of future Hall of Famer Romeo Doubs at Nevada, on Sunday to take kicking duties until Crosby can return. Bisaccia wants excellence in his unit, and the Packers have shown a willingness to move on when necessary.
Who’s ready for long-snapper discourse? Long snapper is generally the most forgotten position in the NFL. They are rarely anyone’s favorite topic of discussion. But Packers fans have seen what not having a good long snapper can do to a team. Their inability to get the position right significantly affected the kicking operation being so awful last season.
Late last season, Gutekunst replaced Hunter Bradley, who wasn’t good, with Steve Wirtel, who also wasn’t good. Wirtel remained with the team this off-season, but the competition was a necessity. The team brought in former Georgia Tech tight end Jack Coco. Despite not having much experience at LS, Coco won the battle, and they released Wirtel.
But it’s a long way to the top, and Coco still has plenty of work to do. Green Bay clearly isn’t content with the position and recently worked out Arizona State’s Mitchell Fraboni and TCU’s Antonio Ortiz. The two long snappers are part of the whopping eight specialists Green Bay brought in for workouts.
The bizarre part of Green Bay’s long-snapper troubles is that many former Packers long-snappers have had fruitful careers elsewhere. Is there a curse on the position? Is this the cost of having 30 years of HoF quarterback play? And is Brett Goode available? These are the tangled webs Bisaccia must navigate.
While backup kicker and long snapper are still questions, the Packers made a vital free-agent acquisition to be the lynchpin of the special teams operation. Some say great players aren’t born; they’re made. And the newest Packer was clearly made for greatness. Some call it a machine, and that’s because it is a machine.
The Packers finally have a new JUGS machine. It’s called The Seeker.
Matt LaFleur was adamantly upset with the recent performances of the old JUGS machine and made it clear he was looking for an upgrade. They put the money from the stock sale to good use, and the new machine saw the field for the first time on Monday.
Monarc Sport’s JUGS machine is a clear upgrade at the position and brings in positional versatility. Not only can it efficiently simulate kicking and punting conditions, but it can also emulate the throwing styles of opposing quarterbacks.
The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman spoke to a Monarc employee, who said the computer can release throws in the style of Kirk Cousins to offer a better opportunity for defensive backs to practice against. That’s right—the new JUGS machine is already the second-best quarterback in the division. Could The Seeker be the heir apparent in Green Bay?
In all seriousness, this equipment upgrade will have tangible benefits for special teams coaching. With punt and kick returns being a struggle in recent years, having a better machine to more accurately simulate game scenarios will lead to better training. The Packers need to explore every avenue in their quest for special teams competence, and this acquisition shows a new wave of thought.
The evergreen statement is that we need to see these improvements translate into actual NFL games before we declare anything fixed. But LaFleur was dedicated to changing the philosophy for that phase of the game. Every action conducted by him and Bisaccia supports this. If Green Bay’s special teams unit stays bad, it won’t be for lack of trying. The Packers are leaving no stone unturned.
